Car Seat Checks
The well-being of our patients, families, staff and communities is our utmost priority. In light of guidelines designed to reduce the potential for unnecessary exposure of our communities to COVID-19, we are only holding a limited number of in-person events. To help you safely install your car seat during this time, we are also offering “virtual” car seat checks where we perform the safety checks via a video call.
To schedule a virtual appointment, please visit the following link and complete the survey. Once complete, a member of our team will reach out to you to schedule an appointment. https://redcap.chop.edu/surveys/?s=XDEAR4NFWY. You will need a phone or tablet with a camera for your virtual car seat check. You will receive an invitation with a link from a member of our team with instructions on how to join. Feel free to reach out to duchossois@chop.edu with questions.
When you consider the many kinds of vehicles and safety seat models on the market, it’s easy to understand why installing and using car seats properly is complicated. That's why free car seat fitting stations, also known as car seat inspection stations or car seat checks, are available nationwide. When you go to a car seat check, a trained technician will work with you to teach you the best way to install and correctly use your child safety seat.
Free car seat fitting stations are held periodically in most areas. They are usually scheduled at convenient times and locations (such as car dealerships or store parking lots). If you can’t come to a car seat check, you may be able to contact a child passenger safety technician by telephone (and sometimes e-mail) with your questions.
We recommend you have the safety of your infant car seat checked for correct installation at an inspection station or a car seat check-up event.
Find a car seat fitting station nationally
To find a car seat fitting station or a certified child passenger safety seat (CPS) technician near you, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Safe Kids USA websites. This information is also available by calling the NHTSA Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
You can also call your local police or fire department's non-emergency numbers, your hospital, or your state highway department.
Find a car seat fitting station in the Greater Philadelphia area
The Injury Prevention Program at CHOP partners with the Safe Kids Southeastern Pennsylvania Coalition to teach parents how to properly install child safety seats, and offers car seat checks in the Philadelphia area. The Safe Kids Southeastern Pennsylvania Coalition, part of Safe Kids Worldwide, covers Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
Car seat inspection events are free of charge and all parents and caregivers of young children are encouraged to attend. Thank you to our generous sponsor Geico Insurance for supporting our child safety seat inspections in the Philadelphia area. Download a list of child safety seat inspection stations in the Philadelphia area.
What to bring to a car seat check
When going to a car seat check, remember to bring:
- The vehicle your child will be riding in
- Your child safety seat
- Your child safety seat manual
- Your car owner’s manual
- Your child (if possible)
If you have several children that need to be restrained, please bring them with you along with their child safety seats. A technician can help guide you on the proper placement of each seat in the vehicle.
Changing seats as your child grows
You often first learn about safety seats when you prepare to bring your infant home from the hospital because they are frequently required for discharge. When your baby outgrows her rear-facing infant seat, she will need to switch to a convertible and/or forward-facing seat, and finally, to a belt-positioning booster. Check out our Car Seat Safety by Age topics to read more about each phase of child safety seats.
Read both your vehicle owner’s manual and car seat instruction manual each time your child moves to a different type of seat.