Child Passenger Safety Week 2018

Maxi-Cosi car seats installed
at a media event

There's some crazy statistic that 59 percent of parents don't install their car seats right. I heard that and thought, "I'm a smart person. Surely, I won't be part of that percentage."

Then I installed a car seat.

I don’t know if it really is that more than half of all car seat consumers are just dumb (can’t be, right?) or if it is the fault of the car seat manufacturers for writing installation instructions that are impossible to understand. But thank goodness for local car seat safety checks. Somehow those people know how EVERY car seat should be installed in EVERY car, and they so helpfully told me that no, my car seat couldn’t be in the center of my back seat per my car’s manual. (How did they find that? I looked and there was nothing about car seats, I swear!)

Car seat safety encompasses more than just the “Did I hook it into my car right?” questions. It’s also about rear-facing and forward-facing seats. And because the last week in September is Child Passenger Safety Week, now is a good time to reassess your own kids’ seats.

In New Jersey, the law requires a child under the age of 2 AND 30 pounds to be in a rear-facing car seat. Even older children under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches should be in a booster seat, so don’t think you’re done once your kid outgrows the forward-facing car seat.

Car seats also have adjustable harness positions so they can grow with your child. Don’t forget to adjust everything so that it fits the way it should to properly and safely restrain your child.

If your child has recently grown and you’re not sure if you’ve adjusted the harness correctly, ask. If you purchased a new car and are not sure if you installed the car seat or base correctly, ask. If your child graduated to a forward-facing car seat or booster and you need help installing it, ask.

There are several car seat inspection stations available year-round in Northern New Jersey. The Atlantic Ambulance Building in Livingston is open for inspections on Wednesdays (973-971-6477), the Chester First Aid Squad does them the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month (908-879-5560), the Shade Tree Garage in Morristown inspects car seats the second Saturday and third Tuesday of the month (973-540-9880), and the Newton Volunteer Aid and Rescue Squad is available the fourth Monday of the month for car seat inspections (973-383-3377). These inspection services are free, though it is suggested that you bring a donation of $10 per car seat.

You can find more information on car seat inspection dates and other ways to keep kids safe in the car at the Prevention Works NJ website.

And if you're outside of NJ, then head to the Safe Kids Worldwide website to find car seat events near you and your state's specific car seat laws!