Car Seat Safety

A man adjusting a young boy in a car seat inside a vehicle, with a soccer ball on the boy's lap and other children in the background.

Car Seat Safety

Car seats and booster seats provide protection for infants and children in a crash, yet car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13.

Car Seat Basics

Infographic illustrating four stages of car seat safety: 1) Rear-facing car seats, including rear-facing with base and convertible rear-facing. 2) Forward-facing car seats, including convertible and combination seats with harness. 3) Booster seats, including high-back and no-back booster. 4) Seat belt use, with proper fit instructions. Additional notes emphasize the importance of buckling all occupants.

With so many car seat options available, how do you choose the right one?

The best car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and that you can use correctly every time.

Not sure if your child’s car seat is the best fit?
We can help!

Make an appointment for an upcoming Car Seat Check-Up Event or visit our Calendar for a list of upcoming events.

  • Child in a car seat

    Rear-Facing Car Seats

    Use a rear-facing car seat installed in the back seat until your child outgrows the highest height OR weight limit of the seat.

  • A young boy smiling while sitting in a car seat inside a vehicle, wearing a blue and black shirt and shorts.

    Forward-Facing Car Seats

    Use a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness for as long as it fits your child (read car seat labels).

  • A young girl with a pink headband and colorful dress, sitting in a car seat in the back seat of a vehicle, raising her arms and smiling excitedly, with a plush pink toy on her lap.

    Booster Seats

    Booster seats raise and position your child, so seat belts fit properly over the stronger parts of their body.

  • A teenage boy with glasses and a red hoodie sitting in the back seat of a car, secured with a seatbelt, with mountains and a fence visible through the window.

    Seat Belts

    Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough for the seat belt to fit them properly.

The Law

It’s the Law – EVERYONE in a car must be properly belted in all seating positions.

Seat belts and car seats save lives, and Safer is dedicated to efforts which increase their proper use.  The NHTSA reports that using car seats decreases the risk of death by an estimated 71% for infants and 54% for older children.

Did you know 3 out of 4 car seats are used wrong? Could yours be one of them?

Car Seat Check-Up Events offer parents and caregivers personal instruction from nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians on the proper selection, installation and use of your car seats and booster seats.  There are two types of events – Car Seat Fitting Stations and Car Seat Clinics.

Car Seat Check-Up Events

  • Child in a car seat

    Car Seat Fitting Stations

    Fitting Stations offer appointments during regular hours at permanent locations in Albuquerque, Carlsbad, Farmington, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, and Santa Fe.

    Make Appointment
  • A family of four inside a vehicle. The father stands by the open door, and the mother sits next to two young girls in child safety seats. All are smiling and enjoying their time together.

    Car Seat Clinics

    Clinics provide the same services as Fitting Stations but operate on a first-come, first-served basis—no appointment needed. Check our calendar for upcoming clinic dates and locations.

    CALENDAR

  • Each car seat check-up takes approximately 30 minutes per seat. If you’re bringing more than one seat, please allow extra time for your appointment.

  • Please bring the following to your appointment:

    • The car seat and the car seat manual

    • The vehicle it will be used in most often and the vehicle manual

    • Your child, if possible

    Inspection events are kid-friendly, and having your child present helps our technicians:

    • Confirm the seat is the best fit for your child

    • Show you how to properly buckle them in

  • If our technicians determine that your current car seat is unsafe, they’ll explain why and help you understand your options.

    Common reasons a seat may be considered unsafe include:

    • Your child has outgrown the height or weight limits set by the manufacturer

    • The seat is expired

    • The seat has a known safety recall

    If your seat is found to be unsafe, a replacement seat will be issued for a low fee, so your child can continue to ride safely.

  • Yes! Most people don’t realize this, but car seats do expire. Typically, a car seat expires six years after its manufacture date.

    Why? Advances in safety technology, design updates, and normal wear and tear all mean your seat may no longer offer the best protection after that time.

    You can usually find the manufacture and expiration dates on the label, often located on the side or bottom of the seat. At a check-up, our trained technicians will help you locate this label and make sure your seat is still safe to use.

  • The car seat check-up is free. However, if a technician determines your seat is unsafe and you need a replacement, there is typically a $35 fee per replacement seat.

    All fees collected go directly back into the program to help other families in need.

    Please note: To receive a replacement seat, your child must be present, and only one seat per child will be issued.

  • Yes! If you or your organization would like to host a Car Seat Inspection Event, please fill out our Event Request Form and we will contact you.

CAR SEAT CHECK-UP EVENT FAQs