Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Announces Free Statewide Car Seat Inspections to Combat Staggering Rates of Improper Installation
Data Shows Up to 90% of New York Car Seats Are Misused
Free Certified Inspection September 20 to 26 or Year-Round by Appointment
Thousands of New Car Seats Provided to Families in Need
Ahead of Child Passenger Safety Week, September 20 through September 2[T(1.1]6, the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) is urging parents and caregivers to take advantage of free, statewide car-seat checks by certified safety technicians. The events are funded by GTSC to help make sure that every New York child is protected when they travel on our roads.
While motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for children in the United States, a properly installed car seat reduces the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, data provided by the State’s certified child passenger safety technicians reveal a critical safety gap: an estimated 80% to 90% of car seats in New York State are installed incorrectly.
The most common installation mistakes include:
- Car seats installed too loosely.
- Harness straps that are not snug enough or are placed incorrectly.
- Incorrect use of the LATCH system or vehicle seatbelt.
- Using expired, damaged, or recalled seats.
“Like Governor Hochul, we want to make sure New York is safe for everyone —especially our kids. That’s why we’re focused on getting every child into a safe, properly fitted car seat,” said DMV Acting Commissioner Christian Jackstadt. “I highly encourage parents and caregivers to take advantage of these free car seat checks. It’s a quick, easy way to make sure you have the right seat and that it’s installed correctly.”
What to Expect at a Car Seat Check Event
During car seat fittings, certified child passenger safety technicians will inspect families' existing car seats for proper installation, size appropriateness, and expiration dates.
While these events are designed for safety inspections rather than car-seat distribution, GTSC is committed to ensuring no child leaves an event unprotected. If a technician deems an existing car seat unsafe due to a manufacturer recall, damage, incorrect size, or expiration, a replacement seat will be provided at no cost to the family.
Providing Safe Seats for Families in Need
During last year’s Child Passenger Safety Week, New York State hosted more than 120 dedicated seat-check events, inspected more than 870 car seats and replaced more than 300 unsafe seats.
Throughout the year, more than 8,000 car seats were checked at GTSC-funded fitting stations. GTSC also provides funding to more than 70 Low-Income Education and Distribution programs to help replace unsafe seats. Last year alone, these programs distributed more than 6,000 car seats to families in need.
Through training and financial support from GTSC, there are now 2,145 child passenger safety technicians statewide. Last year, 300 new technicians were certified. Specialized trainings were also held for transporting children with adaptive and assistive needs and transporting children on school buses.
How to Participate in Seat-Check Events
Parents and caregivers can visit the GTSC website to find free Child Passenger Safety Week car seat check events in their region, or they can make an appointment at a year-round regional car seat fitting site.
Additional Resources for Parents
For those unable to attend an event, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers educational resources on its website, including a series of step-by-step installation videos for rear-facing and forward-facing car seats and booster seats, information on finding the right car seat based on a child’s age and size and how to register a car seat. NHTSA also provides car seat ease-of-use ratings to compare how easy it is to use certain car seat features.
For more information about GTSC, visit GTSC's website, or follow GTSC on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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