On February 18, 1999 over 280 cars passed through a check point which was sponsored by the Fitzgerald Lakeforest Auto Mall of Gaithersburg, MD. Specially trained Police Officers, Police Explorers, Fire-Rescue Personnel, and community volunteers from around the area participated in the seat check. One of the those cars to pass through was that of Christine Guarino. In her Oldsmobile minivan, the specially trained Police Officers tightened one safety seat, and removed the straps from another booster seat.
The following day Ms. Guarino was traveling on Great Seneca Highway when a Mack dump truck failed to yield at a stop sign. The resulting collision was horrific, and only due to the proper installation of the child safety seats were her two children able to survive the collision without serious injury.
"Certainly, it's a combination of luck, but without [the safety seats] being installed correctly, it's more likely it would have been a serious, if not fatal, accident," said Cpl. Bob McCullagh, of the Montgomery County police. The truck driver, he said, was cited for failing to yield at a stop sign.
Explorer Master Sergeant Jeb Llewellyn
