Mobile car seat checks help protect Colorado kids during Child Passenger Safety Week

As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 15-21), the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and the City of Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) partnered to bring free car seat checks to the masses to ensure the safety of Colorado’s youngest passengers. Certified child passenger safety technicians traveled to popular Denver parks throughout the week, offering free car seat checks to parents and caregivers. Complimentary ice cream was also provided with every seat check, as well as car seat safety resources for families. Technicians checked over 58 car seats as of Sept. 20, ensuring they had been installed correctly and were adjusted to the child properly, among other safety checks.

Last year in Colorado, 78% of car seats inspected by child passenger safety technicians were not being used correctly or were not installed properly, according to the Child Passenger Safety Board’s National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database. This number is an increase from 2022 when Colorado’s car seat misuse rate was just under 70%. CDOT aims to increase awareness and education about proper car seat installation and fit by providing accessible car seat checks, educational resources and training more certified car seat safety technicians statewide.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jared Polis signed a new bill that updates Colorado’s child restraint system law. The updates reflect the latest research and recommendations on child passenger safety, ensuring that the laws keep pace with evolving best practices. Key changes to the law include raising the age for the mandatory use of a car seat or booster seat from 8 to 9 years old and increasing the rear-facing car seat requirement to under 2 years old and under 40 pounds. The law also increases the age at which children must be restrained in a seat belt from under 16 years of age to under 18 years of age. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.