Car seat checks

Car seat checks

We offer in-person car seat checks and virtual car seat checks via video call.

Feel free to contact us with questions.

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. 

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