Is your kid taller than a Colorado Black Bear? Are they in the right car seat?

Find photos of the display and participants, and other resources here: https://bit.ly/3yuf25c

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DENVER — Keeping track of your children’s height can be sentimental and nostalgic as they grow. But, it’s also important for their safety in a vehicle. Today Car Seats Colorado and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) are introducing a new three-dimensional height chart so parents know when the time is right for their child to move into a new car or booster seat. Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States.

Working with Denver Great Kids Head Start, Car Seats Colorado and DOTI are educating parents and caregivers about proper car seat fit with the animal-themed height chart, now on tour across metro Denver. 

“From 2015 to 2019, 48 children under age 8 were killed in passenger vehicle crashes in Colorado,” said Colorado State Trooper Tim Sutherland and Colorado Child Passenger Safety Program Coordinator. “We hope this display will raise the visibility of the issue and help parents make informed decisions to keep their children protected.” 

Car Seats Colorado, a partnership between the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol, is increasing public awareness during September’s National Child Passenger Safety Month in order to increase safety for children traveling in vehicles. 

"Children are entirely dependent on their parents or caregivers to know how to properly secure them in their car seat,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Car Seats Colorado provides a variety of readily available resources for parents and caregivers to not only stay informed, but feel confident about their choices regarding their child's safety." 

The new height chart display provides information in English and Spanish, and will invite parents, caregivers and curious kids to see how they measure up against animals native to Colorado — while also providing information and best practices on proper car seat fit. It’s more than just a child’s height that plays a role in proper fit — age and weight are also important.

Denver Great Kids Head Start sites — Catholic Charities, Clayton Early Learning, and Volunteers of America Colorado — serve families in the City and County of Denver with early childhood education programs, specifically focusing on vulnerable neighborhoods.

“Denver Great Kids Head Start, a program of the Office of Children's Affairs, strives to educate and empower families to ensure the safety of their children at all times, including car seat and pedestrian safety,” said Denver Great Kids Head Start Family Services Director Mary Patt McNeill. 

The height chart will be on display at the following locations throughout Child Passenger Safety Month. DOTI, with help from Swedish Medical Center staff, will also be offering onsite car seat checks and educational resources to Head Start families. 

When considering proper fit for car seats, booster seats or seat belts alone, remember these tips: 

• Height, weight, and development all play a role in proper car seat fit
• Children under 13 should be in the back seat whenever possible 
• Children under 3 years old should be in rear-facing car seats as long as possible
• Always read the car seat and vehicle owners manuals 
• Parents are also strongly encouraged to have their seat checked by a certified child passenger safety technician. Pop-up seat-check events will be available throughout September, free and open to the public [by appointment]. Visit [URL for times and locations]. To search for a fit station any time, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection

Car seat recalls are also not uncommon. Parents can visit www.nhtsa.gov/recalls to register to be notified of your car seat in the event of a recall. Colorado’s summer heat and intense sun (UV light) can also weaken the plastics used in many seats, leading to a recommended lifespan before they can become unsafe in a crash. Expiration dates should be labeled on every car seat. 

About Car Seats Colorado

Car Seats Colorado is comprised of CSP, CDOT, local car seat technicians, law enforcement, emergency services and other professionals who are dedicated to implementing child passenger safety programs and encouraging parents to take the necessary steps to protect their children when in vehicles. Learn more about how to keep children safe in vehicles and download informational resources at CarSeatsColorado.com. 

About CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.