Car Seat Consultations

Let’s play ‘find the error’!! What’s wrong here? Try to find the error(s), then swipe 👉🏻 to see the reveal 🤗

This is another misuse I see all.the.time: shoulder belt guides not being used 😞. On some highback boosters they are a lot harder to see than in this example, but if you have a child in a highback booster, make sure to check where the belt guides are and how to use them!! ✅
P.S.: Backless boosters usually come with a shoulder belt adjuster as well, I’ll get into that in another post 😉

I see this alllll the time! Make sure to check yours!

I still see this an awful lot. Applies to high back and backless TurboBoosters. The backless sometimes is sold with the screws already installed, but not always.

https://csftl.org/graco-turbobooster-do-you-have-screws-in-the-armrests/

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming certified as a car seat technician?? If so, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., the non-profit I work for, is holding a class June 6-9 (8am-5pm, Thursday through Sunday) in Santa Monica, open to anyone!!
Fee is $95 (collected by Safe Kids, the certifying body), to get certified you have to be present for the entire class and pass several written and hands-on tests. You will learn a TON of interesting stuff!
Let me know if you have any questions 😊
And feel free to share this post!

If you are worried, because your baby’s legs are getting long and the feet are starting to dangle over the edge of their car seat, this one is for you!
The feet stretching over the lower edge is NOT a sign that the car seat is outgrown! The feet touching the vehicle seatback or the legs bending is not a safety issue. What you need to look at instead, is where the top of the head is in relation to the top of the seat (or headrest, depending on what your seat’s manual states!!). The head needs to be at least 1” away from the top edge of the seat in order to be properly protected in a sudden stop or crash. PLEASE NOTE: for most kids this happens long before they ever reach the weight limit of that seat! This means most kids outgrow this car seat by height and have to be moved to a convertible car seat before reaching this seat’s weight limit!
Feel free to share this post 😊

Have you checked your car for the big airbag recall yet? More and more cars are added to the list, so make sure to see if yours is one of them!!

Check for recalls. Repairs are free.

Please please use your car seats on the plane instead of checking them!! This seat was checked (in a bag!!) and when the owners got it back at baggage claim, it looked like this. 😳
If your child sits in their car seat on the plane, you know exactly where the seat is at all times and you can be sure to have a (functioning!!) seat at your destination!
This is just one of the many benefits of using car seats on a plane 🤗

This seat was checked instead of being used on the plane, this is just one reason you need to use your seat on the plane for your child! https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/

Please please make sure you purchase car seats from legitimate sources!! If the price looks way too good, it is very likely the seat is counterfeit!

Boise hospital warns of knock-off car seats: 'There's no way a child would survive a crash in a seat like this' St. Luke's Children's Hospital car seat technicians came across two counterfeit car seats this past week. Experts say not only are the car seats fake, but they are extremely dangerous.

In light of all the lottery posts this week... this!!
Although 9/10 is more realistic when it comes to car seat misuse 😳 please get those seats looked at - even if you’re pretty sure you’re doing it right! Doesn’t hurt to check and you might learn something in the process 😊 find a CPST in your area to help you (and no, most fire fighters are NOT CERTIFIED CPSTs, nor are most police officers! Please make sure to ask to see proof of certification before you let anyone help you with a seat!) If you are in the LA area, feel free to contact me for an appointment, or you can look up certified technicians at cert.safekids.org!