Pennsylvania State Police to Conduct Child Safety Seat Checks

Not sure if your child’s safety seat is properly installed? The Pennsylvania State Police can set you straight.

Troopers will conduct a child passenger safety seat inspection from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at their headquarters at 220 Barracks Road in Butler Township. 

No appointment is needed, and there is no fee for the inspection.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates eight out of 10 child seats across the nation are improperly installed. Locally, that number is estimated at nine out of 10 seats with improper installation, police said. 

In 2010, nine children, from newborns to age eight, lost their lives in vehicle crashes in the state, and more than 2,086 were injured, according to the state police website. 

Pennsylvania law requires that children younger than 4 ride in a federally approved car seat that is appropriate for the child's age, height and weight.

Children ages 4 to 8 must use a booster seat if they are no longer in a car seat. State law requires children ages 8 to 18 to use a seat belt. Because of the potential dangers associated with air bag deployment, the state police recommend that children 12 and younger ride in a vehicle's back seat. 

The department's Bureau of Patrol offers the following tips: 

Use the car's seat belt to anchor the seat to the car unless you are using a child safety seat with the LATCH system;

Read and follow the car seat manufacturer's instructions;

Fill out and return the registration card for your seat so you'll know if it is recalled because of a problem;

Make sure the seat's harness fits snugly; and

Use a tether strap if the seat requires it. 

For more information about car seat safety and to get a list of state police car seat safety inspection locations and dates, click on the "Public Services" link at www.psp.state.pa.us.

To view a list of PennDOT-supported car seat checks and see how PennDOT promotes child passenger safety, visit www.DriveSafePA.org, then "Traffic Safety Information Center" and "Child Passenger Safety." 

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