Car seats save lives, just as seat belts do. However, car seats can be frustrating because they are often tricky to use.

This past Friday, the Troup County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Department of Public Safety performed free car safety checks in the parking lot of Hobby Lobby.

As a parent, we can easily assume that we can install a car seat but having a certified professional give your handy work a second look — or even do that job for you — is worth consideration.

Anything we can do to ensure the safety of our children is worth the extra effort. Let us not forget that there is a monetary fine for not having a child in a proper safety seat.

According to Safe Kids, more than 2,600 children under the age of 13 are involved in car accidents daily, and 59 percent of car seats aren’t installed correctly.

Suffice to say, proper installation of child safety seats is critical.