Selecting and installing a car seat is not an easy task. It’s common to have questions and doubts. Which car seat is the right one for my child? When should my child move on to the next car seat? Is my car seat installed correctly? As a Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician for 7 years, this is one of my favorite parts of my job: helping families navigate through their car seat journey.
At Phoenix Children's, we offer car seat inspection appointments free of charge. Whether you are expecting your first child, or you’re not quite sure if your child is in the correct car seat, our Child Passenger Safety Team is here to help. Last year, our team was able to complete 86 car seat inspections at our car seat fitting station, thanks to generous program support from Valley Toyota Dealers.
Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week is September 19 – 25 and we want to celebrate by providing you information about what to expect at your next car seat inspection appointment:
- Plan ahead – Call and schedule an appointment with one of our CPS Technicians. Some questions we might ask when scheduling an appointment: type of car seat(s) you will be bringing to the appointment, child’s age or due date, child’s weight and number of vehicles you plan to bring.
- Our services are available Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 3:30 pm.
- Make a list – Write down any specific questions you would like to ask the CPS Technician, so you won’t forget the day of the appointment.
- Before your appointment – Try to install your car seat into your vehicle. If your car seat comes installed, the CPS Technician will check for tightness and make any modifications as necessary. If you are bringing your car seat right from the box, that is okay too! We will go over step-by-step how to install your car seat correctly into your vehicle whether it comes installed or not.
- What to bring to your appointment – If you would like to bring more than one car seat and/or vehicle, let us know. We will be more than happy to check your car seats in different vehicles. Also, it would be helpful to bring your car seat owner’s manual and have your vehicle owner’s manual available. This will help the CPS Technician provide the most accurate information coming from the manufacturer.
- During your appointment – Make the most out of your one-on-one appointment. You will meet your CPS Technician at our Car Seat Fitting Station, sponsored by Valley Toyota Dealers, located in the Cambridge Parking Garage. The CPS Technician will guide you with the installation of your car seat into your vehicle and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
- Set aside enough time for your appointment - Expect your appointment to be between 20 to 30 minutes long depending on your car seat and vehicle. Besides inspecting for a correct car seat installation, we will make sure to provide information about harness adjustment, weight/height limits of your car seat and discuss the next steps for your child regarding Child Passenger Safety.
Our goal is for you to leave your appointment confident and at ease that your child is riding safe.
To schedule your next car seat inspection appointment or for more information on car seat safety, click here.
