DPH to Kick Off Child Passenger Safety Week with Car Seat Check Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 17, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In observance of Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 22-27), the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is emphasizing the critical importance of proper car seat use and hosting a series of educational events.

Every year, thousands of children across the country are severely injured or killed in car crashes. Many of these tragedies can be prevented with the correct use of car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

According to the 2024 National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database, more than half (59.8%) of all car seats inspected by Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians in South Carolina were improperly installed and used. Data from the NDCF database also revealed that nearly 90% of children under the age of 10 who were using lap-and-shoulder seat belts should still be using a forward-facing car seat or booster seat. Parents often transition their child out of the appropriate car seat too early, before it is safe to do so.

“Car seats are engineered to spread crash forces across the strongest parts of a child’s body, but they can only provide this protection when they are properly installed and used,” said Emily Barb, Health Educator for the DPH Child Passenger Program.

During Child Passenger Safety Week, DPH will host educational events across the state to promote the proper use of car safety seats for children. At the car seat check events, certified CPS technicians will be available to help parents and caregivers ensure their car seat is properly installed and used correctly for the child’s age, height and weight.

Each year, DPH CPS technicians and partner organizations participate in more than 40 seat check events, checking hundreds of car seats and helping parents with proper installation.

“Every time you place your child in a car seat, you’re making a potentially lifesaving decision,” Barb explained. “The extra time and care it takes to ensure your car seat is installed and used properly could be the difference between life and death.”

If a child safety seat is used correctly, it can reduce the risk of a fatal injury by 71% among infants and 54% among toddlers. Booster seats reduce the risk of nonfatal injuries by 45% among 4- to 8-year-old children when compared to the seat belt alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“When it comes to child passengers, there is a correct way to be restrained for every age and developmental stage,” Barb said. “Whether it’s a rear-facing car seat, a booster seat, or a forward-facing car seat installed with a tether, a CPS technician can put parents’ minds at ease by discussing correct car seat selection and showing them how to properly install that car seat in their vehicle. It is important to ensure that caregivers like babysitters and other family members also know how to properly use car seats.”

Passenger safety is for all passengers, not just infants and young children. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. Keep the whole family safe and make sure that all passengers and drivers wear a seat belt. Additionally, drivers should be aware of South Carolina’s new hands-free driving law, which went into effect Sept. 1 and prohibits drivers from using mobile electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle unless using a device in voice-activated or hands-free mode.

Free, in-person car seat checks from certified CPS technicians are available at events throughout the year, as well as by appointment. You can also schedule a virtual car seat check. Find an inspection station near you, make an appointment, or schedule a virtual car seat check on DPH’s Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations webpage.

Additional information is available at safekids.org/car-seat and nhtsa.gov/equipment.

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