Program Partners:
Use these social media posts to connect with parents and caregivers in your community:
Click on the “+” sign next to each heading below to view the content.
Car seats and booster seats are not all the same. Some are light weight, others heavier and there are many models to choose from. NHTSA’s 5-Star Ease-of-Use Ratings allow caregivers to compare certain features to make informed decisions when selecting a car seat or booster seat: https://www.nhtsa.gov/car-seats-and-booster-seats/car-seat-ease-use-ratings
Q: How do booster seats protect children? A:
Get more car seat information and safety tips: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
A booster seat raises and positions a child so the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt fit properly, keeping the lap belt snug across the hips and upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the child’s chest. When will your child be able to ride safely in the vehicle seat belt without a booster? Get answers/watch this video: https://bit.ly/3Y5W0jw
Don’t Chicken Out
All questions are great questions. Don’t hesitate to ask a Child Passenger Safety Technician your car seat questions today! Learn more about car seat safety and watch installation videos: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
How about a booster?
Don’t make the mistake of transitioning your child out of a booster too soon. In addition to following your state’s laws, keep in mind the following:
Children who have outgrown their car seat with a five-point harness will need a booster seat to fit properly in an adult seat belt. According to the CDC, booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children age 4–8, when compared with seat belt use alone. Keep older children riding safely in a booster seat until they can pass this five-step test:
Compartmentalization. Adjustment and Fit. Safety Vest and Seat Mount. Learn more about child passenger safety on school buses. Watch videos on this YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/3VtQZ2D
Attention Child Passenger Safety Technicians! For FREE online courses, including courses that can be used toward completion of the CPST Community Education requirement, check out https://carseateducation.org/
About 35 kids die in hot cars every year. Learn how to prevent more tragedies with a free online course that is available in English and Spanish: https://carseateducation.org/general-education
Are you using Car Seat Basics in your program? Yes! No? Program coordinators are using this online learning to prepare CPST candidates prior to the certification course, as the educational component for car seat distribution programs and in diversion programs. Try this free online learning for yourself, visit the Child Passenger Safety Learning Portal: https://carseateducation.org/
Instructors: Are you hybrid-ing? To get started on earning your Instructor hybrid endorsement, visit: https://www.cpsboard.org/trainings/hybrid-curriculum/
Have you heard of the pinch test? Don’t let the name confuse you. The pinch test helps you keep your child safe in a car seat. The car seat harness should be snug against the child. If you can pinch a horizontal fold in the webbing at your child’s shoulders, the harness is still too loose.
Q: When should you move your child from a rear-facing to forward-facing car seat? A: When the child uses a rear-facing car seat until reaching the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
Get more car seat information and safety tips: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
Show Some Love
Properly secure those huggable kiddos in the right seat at the right time and use the seat the right way! Learn more: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
#PopQuiz: Do you know about the Pinch Test? With the harness buckled and tightened and chest clip placed at armpit level, pinch the harness strap at your child’s shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any extra webbing, you’re good to go. Get more tips and free resources in the Ultimate Car Seat Guide: http://www.ultimatecarseatguide.org
FF Seats: Car seat misuse is far too common. Double-check these points to make sure your forward-facing child is riding safely.
A sure-fire way to upset your kid? Change her car seat to FF before she reaches the max height/weight limits for RF.
There are more than 30,000 certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians across the country and in U.S. territories. Find one near you: https://bit.ly/373SIC5
Keep your child passengers safe by following these steps. Need more info? Watch car seat installation videos: https://bit.ly/3S8j3Gv
Kids count on you to keep them safe in the car. Be sure they are in the right car seat and booster seat, and make sure you are using them correctly. Learn more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat
Want a free resource for expectant parents? Download and share this flyer about the importance of buckling up while pregnant: https://bit.ly/2XIMVTy
When it comes to choosing a car seat, caregivers have a lot of choices. Need help choosing the BEST car seat for your child? Get tips/info: https://www.safekids.org/tip/buying-right-car-seat
Rear-facing car seats are designed to support and protect the head, neck and torso of an infant and a young child in a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends children under the age of 1 should always travel in rear-facing car seats, and continue doing so as long as possible until they reach the weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
If your child’s feet or legs reach the back of the vehicle seat before they reach the height limit of their car seat, don’t be concerned. Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics has shown children are not at an increased risk for leg injuries, and riding rear-facing provides the best protection from injuries to the brain, neck and spinal cord.
Want to know more? Rear-Facing Car Seats for Infants and Toddlers: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Rear-Facing-Car-Seats-for-Infants-Toddlers.aspx
Shopping online can be convenient, but it also can pose unexpected dangers for kids. Counterfeit or copycat car seats have been popping up more as caregivers are increasingly shopping online. Vendors sell these counterfeit car seats at a fraction of the regular retail price, and often they are made of substandard materials and fail to meet federal safety standards set to protect children when in a crash.
Be aware if:
If you have a counterfeit car seat:
Learn more about counterfeit car seats: https://www.saferidenews.com/resources/unsafe-products/
When checking the car seat harness for tightness, conduct the pinch test on top of the shoulder (not under). Tightening the harness to make it contact at the torso may never happen.
What drives this space is the child’s torso width but also where the buckle is placed relative to his/her body. If you try to make contact here, you probably will have a very upset child because he or she is in there too tight.
Car seats adjust to meet the needs of growing kids. Remember to regularly check and adjust your child’s car seat as he or she grows. Review your instruction manual for information on correct fit and seat adjustments.
Nothing warms your heart as much as the comfort that comes from knowing your child is buckled in safely while you travel. Unsure if your car seat is installed correctly? Get help. Find a Child Passenger Safety Technician near you and schedule a free car seat check appointment: https://bit.ly/373SIC5
Since 1998, more than 900 children have died of vehicular heatstroke. It’s important for everyone to understand that children are more vulnerable to heatstroke and that all hot car deaths are preventable. Educate yourself and everyone you know: https://www.cpsboard.org/trainings/kids-in-hot-cars/
Educate yourself and everyone you know about the dangers of kids and hot cars with free online training from the National Safety Council: https://bit.ly/3uZq7gn
Educate yourself and everyone you know about the dangers of kids and hot cars with free online training from the National Safety Council: https://bit.ly/3uZq7gn
Educate yourself and everyone you know about the dangers of kids and hot cars with free online training from the National Safety Council: https://bit.ly/3uZq7gn
Who’s next? Fill out an online form to recognize an outstanding Technician, Instructor or Team: https://www.cpsboard.org/awards/
Safety deserves to be celebrated! Be sure to recognize Child Passenger Safety stars in your community. Fill out an online form here to nominate a Technician, Instructor or Team: https://www.cpsboard.org/awards/
Each year, the National Child Passenger Safety Board recognizes Technician, Instructor and Team of the Year award winners. Be sure the #safety superheroes you know get recognized. Use the form here to submit an online nomination: https://www.cpsboard.org/awards/
Get answers to National Digital Car Seat Check Form FAQs: https://bit.ly/3HKfbrk
What’s that old saying? Practice makes perfect! Well, that saying applies to the National Digital Car Seat Check Form and all new users. Practice as much as you’d like before heading out to your next seat check event. Create a free account: carseatcheckform.org
Learn how to create a National Digital Car Seat Check Form account, get answers to frequently asked questions and watch tutorial videos: https://www.cpsboard.org/ndcf/
The National Child Passenger Safety Board is seeking applications for open 2024-2027 member positions. We encourage you to consider sharing your talents at the national level. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30. Get more info and/or fill out an online application: https://bit.ly/3aqttBc
Want to give back to the CPS community at the national level? The National Child Passenger Safety Board is seeking applications for open 2024-2027 member positions. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30. Get more info and/or fill out an online application: https://bit.ly/3aqttBc
Interested in serving on the National Child Passenger Safety Board? 2024 open member positions include Community Engagement; Injury Prevention/Healthcare; and Public Safety/Law Enforcement. Get more information and/or fill out an online application: https://bit.ly/3aqttBc
The application period is open until Sept. 30.
The National Child Passenger Safety Board is seeking applications for open 2024-2027 member positions. We encourage you to consider sharing your talents at the national level. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30. Get more info and/or fill out an online application: cpsboard.org/board-membership.
Want to give back to the CPS community at the national level? The National Child Passenger Safety Board is seeking applications for open 2024-2027 member positions. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30. Get more info and/or fill out an online application: https://bit.ly/3aqttBc
Interested in serving on the National Child Passenger Safety Board? 2024 open member positions include Community Engagement; Injury Prevention/Healthcare; and Public Safety/Law Enforcement. Get more information and/or fill out an online application: https://bit.ly/3aqttBc
The application period is open until Sept. 30.
DYK: When a child is properly restrained rear-facing, the head and neck move together with the car seat, allowing forces in a crash to be spread across the shell of the car seat. This protects the child’s head, neck and torso and reduces the risk of neck and spine injuries.
Get more car seat information and safety tips: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
Do your child’s feet touch the back seat? This is a very common concern, but it’s OK! Children are very flexible. Injuries to the legs are rare for children in rear-facing car seats. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3E5ufzz
#PopQuiz: Does your car seat have a snug fit? Do the “inch test” to find out. A properly installed car seat shouldn’t move more than one inch front-to-back or side-to-side when pulled at the seat belt path. Get more tips and resources in the Ultimate Car Seat Guide: http://www.ultimatecarseatguide.org
RF Seats: Car seat misuse is far too common. Double-check these points to make sure your rear-facing child is riding safely.
We want to hear from you! How do you encourage caregivers to keep their child rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height limits of the car seat?
To learn more about seat belt safety, visit: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/seat-belts/
Don’t underestimate the importance to buckling up. Make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up – every trip, every seat! #BuckleUpAmerica
You are a role model. Research shows that children are more likely to wear their seat belts if their caregivers buckle up. Protect them by protecting yourself.
According to NHTSA, when the driver is buckled, children are restrained 92% of the time. But when the driver is not buckled, children are restrained only 68% of the time. Buckle up, and make sure All of your passengers are buckled up too! For more information on car seats and boosters: https://ucsg.safekids.org
Kids learn from our example. Make sure you teach them about safety from the very beginning by buckling up before every trip. DYK: 92% of children are restrained when the driver is. Only 68% of children are restrained when the driver is not buckled up.
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children.
The LATCH system of attaching car seats to vehicles is found in most vehicles manufactured after 2002. It consists of two lower anchor points and one top tether anchor point that accept attachments found on a car seat. LATCH provides another safe way to install a car seat. But with almost all car seats, LATCH and seat belts should not be used together.
Learn more about LATCH and car seat installation: https://bit.ly/3zZM0vn
DYK: A tether is used to reduce how much your child’s car seat pitches forward. Without a tether, the forward motion in a crash can cause a child’s head to hit the back of the front seat. Because there is limited space behind the rear seats in pickup trucks, there are often challenges for tether anchor design.
Always check the vehicle owner’s manual to ensure correct use. Get more safety tips and watch car seat installation videos: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/
Using a top tether with a forward-facing car seat can reduce forward head movement 4-6” in a crash. When installing a forward-facing car seat, attach the top tether whenever possible.
What’s THAT? A tether is a part on the car seat that is used to secure the top of a forward-facing car seat against the vehicle seat by attaching to the tether anchor in the vehicle.
Tethering a car seat can help to make the car seat more stable and can reduce the potential for head and neck injuries in a crash. Learn more: https://www.cpsboard.org/car-seat-safety/