Motor Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death for young children. A minor crash or even a sudden stop can seriously injure a child who is not riding in the right type of child safety seat.
Children must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured until they are eight years old OR over 57 inches tall. For more information regarding Child Safety Seats as well as the full-text law, please follow the link to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety website devoted to these new laws.
Please fill out the Child Passenger Safety Inspection Form (DOC) and bring the completed form with you to your appointment, or fill out the form online. Upon arrival to your appointment, please have the seat unpacked and if possible, attempt to install it on your own. Our techs will inspect your installation, make any needed corrections, and instruct you on proper installation.
Car Seat Safety Checklist
- Check the labels and owner’s manual to make sure you have the right car seat for your child. Check the height and weight limits.
- Check the date of manufacture on the seat label or owner’s manual to make sure that it has not expired.
- Keep kids rear-facing for as long as possible until they outgrow the height and weight limits, which usually occurs around age 2 or later.
- Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level and the harness straps are secured on shoulders.
- Loose items is car are stowed away.
- Do the pinch test: Pinch the straps vertically at the collarbone. If you can grab excess slack between your fingers and pinch it, the straps are too loose.
- Use a top tether when installing the car seat in the forward-facing mode.
- The car seat should not move more than 1 inch in any direction when shaken where the seat belt or lower anchors hold the car seat.
- Once your child outgrows a harness car seat, usually around 5 years of age, keep him/her in a booster seat until they are taller than 57 inches (4 feet, 9 inches)
- Keep kids in the back seat until they are 13 years old.