The Fayette County Sheriff's

Department received a statewide award from the Governor's Office

of Highway Safety Friday morning at the State Capitol.

The department was given the

Law Enforcement Leadership Award for its "tireless work in the field

for Child Passenger Safety," according to Robert F. Dallas, director

of the office of highway safety.

Sheriff Randall Johnson received

the award along with members of the department's traffic enforcement

unit.

The department has deputies

available 24 hours a day to inspect child safety seats upon request.

"We have a lot of people

coming in nowadays," to take advantage of the service, Johnson said.

Experts say this is crucial

because of the high rate of child safety seats that are installed incorrectly.

Manufacturer's instructions can be complicated, and other confusing

factors include the type of safety belt used in the vehicle the seat is

installed in.

Before Johnson received the

award, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a proclamation making February Child Passenger

Safety Month in Georgia.

The campaign, called "Secure

Your Love," is designed to remind adults to safely secure children

in safety car seats and booster seats from birth through six years old.

Properly installed, such equipment can prevent and minimize injuries to

children in auto crashes.

Child safety seats reduce the

risk of fatal injury for infants by 69 percent and by 47 percent for toddlers

involved in motor vehicle crashes.

Children who are ejected during

a vehicle crash are four times more likely to be killed by injuries after

the ejection or by the vehicle rolling over them, officials said.

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