Costco, Leesburg Police Plan Child Safety Seat Check

The Leesburg Police Department has planned a Child Safety Seat Check Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, at the Leesburg Costco, 1300 Edwards Ferry Road.

Go to Costco from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. either day and a certified child passenger safety technician will check your car seat(s) for proper installation or offer advice about choosing and properly installing the right car seat(s). The free event is open to everyone.

This year marks Costco’s fourth in a row serving as host to a child safety seat event.

The LPD urges parents to follow NHTSA’s car seat recommendations. For maximum safety, a parent or caregiver should have the car seat installation inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to ensure their children are in the right seats for their age and size, and that the seats are properly installed. Children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.

The LPD provided the following information:

Birth – 12 months

For the best possible protection, your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 – 3 years

Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. This may result in many children riding rear-facing seats to age 2 or older. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4 – 7 years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8 – 12 years 

Keep your child in a booster seat until the child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

Remember:

• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it on every trip, every time
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system and check height and weight limits
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, for as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12

For more information on car seat safety, visit www.safercar.gov/therightseat.