Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Passenger Safety KidSafe Initiatives

The way we protected kids years ago isn’t the same as today—and that’s a good thing.

As research improves, so do car seat designs and recommendations. What may have been considered safe in the past doesn’t always meet today’s best practice standards. That’s why it’s important for parents and caregivers to stay informed as guidance evolves.

Today’s recommendations focus on:
✔ Choosing the right seat based on a child’s age, size, and development
✔ Keeping children in each stage as long as possible for better protection
✔ Making sure car seats are installed and used correctly every time
Even if you’ve used car seats before, it’s worth checking what’s current. Updated guidance helps ensure children are better protected on every ride.

Keeping kids safe in the car isn’t just about having the right seat, it’s about making sure every caregiver feels confident using it correctly.

Grandparents and other family members often step in to help with transportation, and that support is invaluable. But car seat recommendations and best practices have changed over time, which can make it difficult to know what’s current.

That’s where Child Passenger Safety Technicians come in. They help bridge the gap by providing hands-on guidance, answering questions, and making sure caregivers understand how to properly install and use car seats for today’s safety standards.
When all caregivers are informed and confident, kids are better protected—no matter who is behind the wheel.

Find a local Child Passenger Safety Technician at bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a local car seat fitting station that is staffed with Child Passenger Safety Technicians at buckleup.tamu.edu

Happy National Children’s Day! Today is all about celebrating kids—and one of the most important ways we can care for them is by keeping them safe on every ride.

Child passenger safety isn’t just a one-time decision—it’s a habit:
✔ Using the right seat for each stage
✔ Making sure harnesses and seat belts fit correctly
✔ Buckling up on every trip, no matter how short

Building these habits helps protect children wherever life takes them.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions.

You can find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station near you at buckleup.tamu.edu.

Golf carts and car seats don’t mix—and it’s important to understand why.

Car seats are specifically designed to be used in motor vehicles that have seat belts, designated seating positions, and a protective structure. Golf carts do not meet those requirements.

This means:
✔ Car seats cannot be properly installed in a golf cart
✔ Safety features like top tethers and crash-tested restraint systems are not supported
✔ Children are not protected the way they would be in a passenger vehicle
Even though golf carts are common in neighborhoods and recreational areas, they are not a safe alternative for transporting children in car seats.

Choosing the right vehicle for travel helps ensure kids are protected every time they ride.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions. You can find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station near you at buckleup.texas.edu

A pinch of patience really does make a safer ride.

Taking a few extra seconds to check harness snugness before every trip helps make sure a child is properly protected in the event of a crash. A harness that’s too loose can allow too much movement, while a properly fitted harness helps keep a child in the safest position.

When checking your child’s harness:
✅ Perform the “pinch test” at the shoulders—if you can pinch excess webbing, it’s too loose
✅ Make sure the harness is snug and lays flat without twists
✅ Position the chest clip at armpit level

These small steps can make a big difference in keeping children safe every time they ride.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions. You can find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station near you at buckleup.tamu.edu.

Same sleepy child, same car ride—but very different protection.

When children ride without a booster, the seat belt doesn’t fit the way it’s designed to. It may rest on the neck or stomach instead of the shoulder and hips, increasing the risk of serious injury in a crash.

A properly used booster seat raises and positions children so the vehicle seat belt fits correctly:
✔ Shoulder belt across the middle of the chest
✔ Lap belt low and snug across the hips

Even if a child falls asleep, the right seat helps keep them in a safer position.
Most children need a booster until they are about 4 feet 9 inches tall and can pass the 5-step seat belt test.

Need help finding a local CPST? Check out bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch to find one close to you, or visit buckleup.tamu.edu to find a local car seat fitting station with Car Seat Technicians on staff to help you build confidence in using your car seat and buckling your child in safely!

Click it. Tighten it. Tether it. That extra step can make a big safety difference.

When installing a forward-facing car seat, there are three key steps to keep in mind:
✅ Click it: Install using the seat belt or lower anchors (not both unless allowed by your car seat manual)
✅ Tighten it: The seat should move less than 1 inch at the belt path
✅ Tether it: Always attach and tighten the top tether to reduce forward head movement in a crash

The top tether is a critical part of the installation—and one that’s often missed. Using it correctly helps lower the risk of head and neck injuries.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions. Find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station near you at buckleup.tamu.edu.

When installing a car seat, it’s important to remember: you don’t need to use everything at once.

Most car seats should be installed using either the vehicle seat belt or the lower anchors—not both at the same time (unless the car seat manufacturer specifically allows it).

Using both systems together can sometimes:
✔ Interfere with how the seat is designed to perform
✔ Make it harder to achieve a correct installation
✔ Go against manufacturer instructions

Always check your car seat manual and your vehicle manual to choose the correct method for your situation.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions. You can find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station near you at buckleup.tamu.edu.

CPST Tip of the Day: Always use the tether when forward-facing.

The top tether is one of the most important—and most often missed—steps when installing a forward-facing car seat. It connects the top of the car seat to your vehicle and helps reduce how far a child’s head moves forward in a crash.

Using the tether can:
✔ Reduce forward head movement
✔ Lower the risk of head and neck injury
✔ Improve overall protection in a crash

Every forward-facing ride should include a properly attached and tightened tether.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to help check your installation and answer questions.

You can find a technician local to you by searching bit.ly/SafeKidsTechSearch or find a fitting station local to you at buckleup.tamu.edu.