During Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 18-24, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages families to ensure:

• Children are in the right types of seats for their ages and sizes.

• Car seats fit children properly.

• Seats are correctly installed in vehicles.

Unfortunately, there are many children riding in the wrong restraint types, in car seats that are incorrectly installed or without any safety restraints at all. This can lead to deadly results: In 2020, 607 children under age 13 were killed in motor vehicle crashes, according to Injury Facts.

Knowing the Law

When kids refuse to sit in a car or booster seat, it can be easy to give in and just use a seatbelt. It can also be tempting to switch your toddler to a forward-facing seat, but experts agree that the focus shouldn’t be on “being big enough” to move to a forward-facing seat, but rather on keeping children rear-facing until they outgrow the height and/or weight restrictions of the car seat.

For the past 30 years, the U.S. has had laws requiring children to be secured in the appropriate car seats or booster seats for their ages and sizes while riding in cars.

In Michigan, child restraints are required for kids younger than 8 years old and under 57 inches tall (4.75 feet). Kids younger than 4 years old should sit in a rear-facing car seat, or as long as possible given the height and weight restrictions of individual car seats.

For Your Peace of Mind

Before you rush out to the grocery store, soccer practice or wherever today, take the time to review your child’s car seat fit requirements and installation guide to know for sure that your child is buckled in safely and correctly — every trip, every time. When you take the time, you can exponentially lower your child’s chance of being injured or killed in a car crash.

If you’re not sure whether you child is in the correct seat for their age, height and weight, check out the NHTSA’s guide to car seats and boosters or Safe Kids Worldwide’s Ultimate Care Seat Guide. These resources also share information on installing and registering your child’s car seat.

For more tips on keeping your children safe, check out Oakland Family Services’ Parenting Guide for New Moms & Dads: Keeping Your Child Safe.

National Seat Check Saturday

Professional Car Seat Installation and Inspection

Seat Check Saturday, Sept. 24, is a great reminder for families to have their car seats installed or inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. Below is a list of certified places in Oakland County that you can call to schedule an appointment. You can find more locations by visiting NHTSA’s database.

Auburn Hills

• Auburn Hills Fire Department | 1827 N. Squirrel Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326 | 248-370-9461

Bloomfield

• Bloomfield Twp. Fire Department and Ascension Providence Hospital | 1155 Exeter Rd., Bloomfield Township, MI 48302 | 248-849-2739

• Ascension Providence Hospital/Safe Kids Oakland County | 4200 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 | 248-849-2739

Birmingham

• Birmingham Fire Department | 572 Adams Rd., Birmingham, MI 48009 | 248-530-1900

Ferndale

• Ascension Providence Hospital/Safe Kids Oakland County | 703 Livernois St., Ferndale, MI 48220 | 248-849-2739

• Modern Natural Baby | 200 W. 9 Mile Rd., Ste. B, Ferndale, MI 48220 | 248-629-6306

Novi

• Children’s Hospital of Michigan-Rehab Services | 42005 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi, MI 48377 | 248-305-7551

• Novi Fire Department | 42975 Grand River Ave., Novi, MI 48375 | 248-349-2162

Oak Park

• Oak Park Public Safety | 13600 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park, MI 48237 | 248-691-7504

Pontiac

• Star EMS | 63 Oakland Ave., Pontiac, MI 48342 | 248-285-1217

• Oakland County Health Division-Health Ed. | 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Bldg. 34, Pontiac, MI 48341 | 248-285-1217

• St. Joseph Mercy Oakland | 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac, MI 48341 | 248-758-7065

Royal Oak

• Beaumont Children's Hospital/Safety City USA | 3601 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48073 | 248-551-0103

Southfield

• Ascension Providence Hospital/Safe Kids Oakland County | 24477 Lahser Rd., Southfield, MI 48033 | 248-849-2739

Waterford

• Waterford Fire Department Station #1 | 2495 Crescent Lake Rd., Waterford, MI 48329 | 248-285-1217