Protect your smallest, most vulnerable passenger

One inch may not seem like much. But if there’s one inch or more of wiggle in your baby’s car seat, a car crash can transmit life-threatening forces to your baby.

That’s just one of the errors that 95 percent of parents make when installing infant car seats, according to a study published in the April 2016 Journal of Pediatrics. And those mistakes can cause injuries or worse, even if the car never gets into an accident.

If the car seat’s angle is too upright, your baby’s head can flop forward and obstruct the airway.

If the chest clip is too low, the baby can slump, leading to strangulation.

Knowing how to install an infant car seat correctly makes your baby’s safety seat truly safe. As a Virginia Department of Health-approved safety seat check station, we can help you install your baby’s safety seat to prevent injury, not cause it. We don’t install the seat for you, but our classes and individual check sessions make sure that you learn to do it yourself – the right and safe way.

In an individual seat check, we’ll:

• Put your car seat through a written checklist, summarizing type, location in your vehicle, and any observed misuse.
• Determine whether the seat you selected is appropriate for your child’s age and size
• Go over the Car Seat Instructions and your Vehicle Owner’s manual to make sure you understand the instructions (they can be very complicated) and know how to follow them
• Make sure you have the seat in an appropriate position, especially if you’re using the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system.
• Check your car seat for recalls, visible damage and expiration date
• Have you install the car seat, in different seating positions and with both the seat belt and the LATCH system, making sure you know how to do each one correctly
• Discuss how to tell when your baby’s ready for the next type of car seat, and what that should be

Individual sessions run about a half-hour. In addition to your car and car seat, bring the Child Car Seat Instructions and your Vehicle Owner’s manual. If your baby’s already born, bring him or her – and another adult to watch the child while you’re learning. And be prepared to learn to do it yourself, not just watch us demonstrate. 
To see class schedules, arrange an individual check, or ask any questions, please click here.