WVU Medicine employee receives 2024 West Virginia Child Passenger Safety Technician of the Year award

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week, and to honor the occasion, a representative of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program visited Morgantown Monday to present an award to a local hospital employee.

WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital employee, Abby Rader, was presented with the 2024 West Virginia Child Passenger Safety Technician of the Year Award on Monday.

“Last year we started trying to get different awards in for the different programs that we have and so we started doing a CPST of the year which is Child Passenger Safety Technician and take nominations for that, and this year Abby was nominated and she’s amazing,” said Amy Boggs, State Child Passenger Safety Coordinator.

“Half of car seats on the road are used incorrectly, and so seeing parents right as baby is born, right before we’re about to go home and take our first car ride, we are able to kind of fill that gap and make sure they feel comfortable, make sure they feel empowered and ready to be safe with their child at home,” said Abby Rader, Injury Prevention Specialist.

Rader said she has seen a rise in counterfeit car seats, and encourages parents to contact the hospital’s free car seat check program at 304-554-8519 if they have questions and would like an appointment. She also said that parents should always make sure car seats are purchased from a reputable retailer.

For more information, you can visit WVU Medicine Children’s website here .

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