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Child Passenger Safety
Safe Kids Guilford County is committed to reducing child injuries and deaths from motor vehicle crashes, which is a leading cause of death for children. Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by up to 71%. Unfortunately, more than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly and in 2023, 43% of children who died while riding in passenger vehicles were unrestrained.
Keeping Kids Safe in Cars
Right Seat: Make sure you are selecting the right seat for your child’s age, weight, and height. Babies should ride rear-facing until 2 years or more. When your child has outgrown their car seat by weight and height, they are ready to move to the next stage. Use the following tool to find the right seat: Car Seat Finder Tool: Find the Right Car Seat | NHTSA
Correct Installation: There are 2 ways to install a car seat: seat belt and LATCH. Most manufacturers require you to install the car seat with only one method. A common misuse is a seat that is too loose. Ensure the car seat is installed tightly by placing your hands at the belt path and trying to move the car seat side to side and front to back. There should be less than 1 inch of movement.
Right Fit: Use the correct harness slots for the direction of the car seat.
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Rear-facing seats. The shoulder straps should come through the car seat at or below your child’s shoulders.
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Forward-facing seats. The shoulder straps should be at or above your child’s shoulders.
The harness should fit snugly, and the chest clip should be placed at armpit level. Perform the “pinch test” to find out if it is snug enough.
Next Steps: Your child is ready to move to the next stage when they have outgrown the height and weight limits of their car seat or booster seat. Don’t be in a rush, because each step can reduce safety.
Learn more with these instructions and videos from NHTSA:
Our Services
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Car Seat Checks: We offer appointments for car seat checks on Wednesdays from 9am-4pm. Find a list of other checking stations throughout NC at www.buckleupnc.org.
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Community Events: We host car seat checking events at least quarterly. Visit our events page for dates and locations.
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Car Seat Assistance: Thanks to generous support from Volvo Group, we provide car seats to families on financial assistance who need a new one. Sign up for a seat at one of our community events by filling out this form or by scanning the QR code.
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Education: We are available to provide car seat safety presentations for groups of parents and caregivers and to table at community events.
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Contact
Contact us to learn more about child passenger safety and our injury prevention initiatives, designed to promote responsible practices and enhance community well-being.