Banks County Sheriff’s Office Receives 2025 Car Seat Mini-Grant to Protect Children

The Banks County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded the 2025 Car Seat Mini-Grant by the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Injury Prevention Program. This initiative, funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, aims to provide car seats and safety education to financially eligible families in Banks County.

Since 2007, the Mini-Grant program has contributed to preventing serious injuries and fatalities in over 460 children involved in crashes across Georgia. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, properly used car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71% among infants and 54% among children ages 1 to 4 in passenger vehicles. However, nearly three out of four car seats are not used correctly, increasing the risk of injury.

“The safety of our children is an utmost priority,” said Sheriff Speed. “The Car Seat Mini-Grant is another opportunity to help our community and protect our most vulnerable passengers.”

Banks County deputies will educate parents and caregivers on proper car seat installation, conduct car seat inspections, and provide car seats and booster seats to qualifying families. The program supports agencies in more than 135 counties across Georgia to ensure children are safely secured on every trip.

For more information about the Banks County Sheriff’s Office car seat program, contact the administrative office at (706) 677-2248. For details on other participating counties, contact the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Child Occupant Safety Project at injury@dph.ga.gov.