Car Seat Safety
Motor Vehicle Accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children under the age of thirteen. It is important to make sure your child is safe and secure while riding in a motor vehicle. The first step to child passenger safety is ensuring the child is in the proper car seat.
This page is for information alone and is not intended to replace a car seat inspection/installation. Please make an appointment with a car seat technician if you have questions about your car seat.
Car Seat Checks
Whether you are new to car seats, or an experienced parent, Lyons Fire can assist with any questions or concerns that you may have. Fill out the form below to sign up for a car seat check and inspection with one of our Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. All inspections and checks are free of charge.
Rear-Facing Car Seats
Birth to 3 Years
Rear-facing car seats are the safest car seats for young children. The rear-facing design along with the harness helps to reduce impact on the child’s neck and spine, which is very fragile. Colorado State Law requires all children under the age of one to be in a rear-facing car seat and requires all children who are less than 20 lbs regardless of age to also be in a rear-facing car seat. It is recommended that a child stay in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, so long as the child still fits in the height and weight requirements of the car seat.
Forward-Facing Car Seats
1 Years to 7 Years
Forward-facing car seats are for children who have grown out of their rear-facing car seats. These car seats have a chest harness that secures the child, as opposed to a booster seat which does not have a chest harness. Some car seats are convertible, meaning that they can be used as both forward and rear-facing car seats. Make sure to check your car seat manual to verify proper use. Colorado State Law requires all children who are in a forward-facing car seat to be older than one year and weigh at least 20 pounds.
Booster Seats
4 Years to 12 Years
Once your child grows out of their forward-facing car seat and reaches a maturity level sufficient to buckle themselves and stay buckled, they may be ready to move to a booster seat. Booster seats help to properly position the seatbelt on a child's shoulders once they are too tall or too heavy for a forward-facing car seat. Colorado State Law requires any child in a booster seat to be at least 40 pounds and 4 years old and exceed the weight requirements of their forward-facing car seat.
Seat Belts
8 Years and Older
Once a child has grown out of their booster seat and is mature enough to responsibly utilize a seat belt, the transition can be made from a booster seat to a seatbelt. Every passenger in a motor vehicle who is no longer in a car seat should be wearing a seat belt. Colorado State Law requires all children to stay in car seats until they are at least 8 years of age and weigh at least 40 pounds. It is recommended that a child stay in their car seats as long as they are within the weight and height requirements of the car seat per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Colorado State Law also requires any child restrained with only a seat belt to fit properly in the seat belt.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
As children grow, they may need to transition between car seats. It is recommended to keep children in their car seat as long as possible before transitioning to the next car seat. Check your car seat manual to find the maximum weight and height for your child’s car seat.
-
Car seat checks are performed by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians here at Lyons Fire. Because we only have a limited number of certified members, we ask that you make an appointment to ensure that one of the certified technicians can be present for your check.
-
You should never put a car seat in the front passenger seat. Any car built after 1998 will have a passenger-side airbag, which can be fatal to a child in a car seat. Even with these airbags turned off, the front seat of a vehicle offers less protection in the event of a head-on collision than the rear seats. Colorado State Law also prohibits some car seats from being placed in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
-
The safest place for you child in a bus or on a plane is in a proper restraint device, not your lap. On an airplane, holding a child on your lap, especially in the event of turbulence, is unsafe, and should be avoided. The Child Protection Safety Board is an excellent resource to help you with any questions you may have regarding public transport and car seats.
https://www.cpsboard.org/resource-center/#airplanes-buses-and-other-modes-of-transportation
-
While it is recommended to get a new car seat, this is not always possible. If you need to purchase a new car seat, make sure that you know the full history of the car seat. It is important not to use any car seat that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, even if it was a small accident and the car seat appears undamaged. When purchasing a used car seat, make sure there have not been any recalls on the car seat.
-
If you have purchased a new or used car seat, it is important to check to make sure that there have not been any recalls on the car seat. You can check your car seat for recalls on the National Highway Transport Safety Association website.
Car Seat Check Request
Lyons Fire has multiple Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians that can inspect and install all types of car seats.
Please reach out to us using this form or the email below to schedule an inspection, an installation, or ask any questions regarding car seat inspections.
Email: CarSeatTechs@lyonsfire.org
Additional Resources