LONDONDERRY -- Though the majority of families having their car seats checked out are usually new or expectant parents, staying safe is important at all stages of childhood, local car seat inspector Laura Bower said on Saturday.

“We really like to see folks come in with children from all age groups,” she said. “The older kids may have graduated to booster seats, but those need to be properly installed as well.”

Bower, who lives in Londonderry, was one of the 10 or so certified car seat inspectors providing information to local families during Saturday's Family Safety Day.

The free event, held at Matthew Thornton Elementary School, offered plenty of fun along with some valuable information for kids and their parents.

For the past 12 years, members of the Londonderry Child Passenger Safety Program have teamed up with the Moose Hill School Parent-Teacher Association and the local police and fire departments to host an event that's caught on with area families over the years.

Event organizer Vinny Curro, a Londonderry firefighter, said several occasions come to mind where information given at Family Safety Day has even saved a life or two.

“One family who had a house fire knew exactly what to do,” Curro said. “They credited their actions to the learning experience they had at one of our events.

NH Safe Kids spokesman Jo Ellen Courtney estimated around eight out of every 10 car seats she inspects have been installed incorrectly.

“And those are the people who come out and ask us for help,” Courtney said. “Unfortunately, there's the rest of the world out there thinking they're doing this right, so the actual numbers are probably higher.”

The Central Fire Station on Mammoth Road hosts drop-in monthly car seat checks on the second Saturday of each month, as well as by appointment on one Tuesday per month.

Members of A Londonderry Emergency Response Team (ALERT) handed out colorful safety whistles to kids while sharing a few pointers on outdoor safety.

ALERT member Colleen Monks said the team regularly visits local schools to remind some of the town's youngest citizens how easy it is to get lost in the woods, though this can easily be avoided by always hiking with a buddy and making sure to tell an adult where they're going.

Nearby, Londonderry Trailways President Bob Saur touched on similar themes as he handed out maps of the town's many trails to area families.

Saur also shared tips on bicycle safety and encouraged cyclists of all ages to wear proper helmets.

For new drivers, the importance of staying sober behind the wheel was clearly noted by Londonderry High School student Cody Eklund, a member of the school's Police Explorers program.

Eklund tried out the Fatal Choices impaired driving simulator, which gives drivers of all ages the chance to experience what it's like to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Making his way around an obstacle course, Eklund donned goggles with blurry lenses as he maneuvered a golf cart. Within moments he'd wiped out several orange traffic cones.

“I almost went off the road,” he said as he hopped down from the driver's seat.

Susan Lessard, a representative from the state Fatal Choices program that's sponsored by the state's Liquor Enforcement bureau, said the experience seems to resonate with drivers of all ages. She's hoping it might make them stop and think next time they decide whether they're OK to get behind the wheel.

“Most people get pretty confused with those goggles on. They tend to veer to the left without meaning to,” Lessard said.

aguilmet@newstote.com