NHTSA Urges Parents and Caregivers to Make Sure Car Seats Are Installed Correctly

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges parents and caregivers of children of all ages to make sure their car seats are installed correctly. On National Seat Check Saturday, which is Sept. 21 this year, certified child passenger safety technicians will be available at car seat check stations around the country, to show parents and caregivers how to install and use a car seat correctly, free of charge. 

“We encourage all parents and caregivers who have children in car seats to make sure they have the right seat, that it’s installed correctly, and have it checked at a local car seat inspection station on National Seat Check Saturday,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said. “Having the right car seat installed correctly is critical to keeping your child safe in the event of a crash.”

Correctly installed car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a passenger car crash by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Unfortunately, while most parents and caregivers believe they know how to install their car seats correctly, almost half of all car seats are installed incorrectly. In 2022, an estimated 124,172 children ages 14 and younger riding in passenger vehicles were injured in crashes, and another 756 were killed, making traffic crashes a consistently leading cause of death for children. 

NHTSA offers the following tips to help parents and caregivers find the right seat, install it correctly, and keep their child safe in vehicles: 

• Learn about the four types of car seats, find out which car seat is appropriate for a child based on their age and size, and compare car seats and find ease-of-use ratings at NHTSA.gov/CarSeatsAndBoosterSeats. 
• Make sure to get familiar with vehicle and car seat parts before installation, follow the vehicle and car seat installation instructions carefully, and visit the nearest car seat inspection station to ensure the car seat is installed correctly. 
• Register car seats and booster seats to be notified of any safety recalls. 
• Plan to use the appropriate car seat or booster seat when traveling and riding in taxis or ride-share vehicles. 
• Resist the urge to transition a child into the next car seat or booster seat before they have outgrown their current seat. Check The Right Seat for NHTSA’s recommendations.
• Remember that older kids need the right seat, too. Many kids ages 8 to 12 years old still need to use booster seats, and the safest place for all children under 13 is the back seat. 
• Make sure children are buckled up correctly every trip and remember to be a good role model by also buckling up every trip. 
• Never leave a child alone in a vehicle, even for a minute. Take immediate action and call 911 if a child is found alone in a vehicle.
• Report a Safety Problem to NHTSA if a car seat is suspected of having a defect or not meeting federal regulations.

NHTSA is also debuting a new child car safety campaign public service announcement titled “Love Protects” during Child Passenger Safety Week. The PSA speaks to parents and caregivers of children 14 and younger, reminding them that loving and protecting their children means making sure they are in the right car seat or restraint for their age and size. These activities support the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and safe system approach, aimed at significantly reducing serious injuries and deaths on our nation’s highways, roads, and streets.

For more information about child safety, please visit NHTSA.gov/ChildSafety.