Woodbury Police highlight common car seat installation mistakes
Officer Ashley Kowarsh and Detective Lynn Lawrence of Woodbury Public Safety presented to the City Council on Monday about child passenger seat safety, detailing the most frequent errors parents make when installing car seats and promoting the department's free inspection service.
The Woodbury Police Department is working to keep children safer in vehicles by educating parents about proper car seat installation. Both officers presenting to the council are certified technicians who have identified several common mistakes that can reduce a car seat's effectiveness in protecting children during accidents.
The most frequent errors include exceeding weight limits on LATCH systems (the anchors built into vehicles), using anchor points incorrectly, positioning the crotch strap improperly, and installing harnesses that are loose or twisted. These mistakes can significantly compromise a car seat's ability to protect a child in a crash.
To help residents get it right, Woodbury Police offers free car seat checks. During these inspections, certified technicians verify that seats are installed correctly and meet Minnesota's car seat laws. The department encourages parents to consult both their car seat manual and their vehicle's manual during installation, as compatibility and proper anchoring vary by model.
The presentation underscores why proper installation matters: a correctly installed car seat can be the difference between a child walking away from an accident unharmed or suffering serious injury. Residents interested in having their car seats inspected can contact Woodbury Police to schedule a free appointment.
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Source document
[0:00] Hi, I'm officer Ashley Kowarsh
[0:02] and I'm detective Lynn Lawrence.
[0:04] We are with Woodbury
Public Safety,
[0:05] And today
we are going to be talking to
[0:07] you about child
passenger seat safety.
[0:14] Lynn and I are child
passenger safety technicians,
[0:17] meaning we have each completed
additional
[0:18] training
and continuing education
[0:20] credits around car seats
[0:22] and how to keep children safe
in motor vehicles.
[0:24] The proper
use of child restraints
[0:26] is one of the simplest
and most effective methods
[0:28] to reducing injury
and or death of children
[0:30] in the event of a motor
vehicle crash.
[0:32] Woodbury Police offers
car seat checks
[0:34] where residents
can make an appointment
[0:36] for their installed car seat,
to be checked by one of us.
[0:38] Each car seat tends
to be a little different,
[0:40] so we recommend residents
view their car seat manual,
[0:43] which comes with the seat,
or can be found
[0:44] on the manufacturer's website
and their vehicle manual.
[0:47] A few common errors
we see with car seats are.
[0:50] Latch
anchors have weight limits,
[0:51] and we commonly see caretakers
using latch
[0:53] when the child has exceeded
the weight limit.
[0:56] The child seat should be install
[0:59] Not all vehicles allow
a latch install on all seats.
[1:02] A common mistake
is borrowing anchors
[1:04] from outboard seats
while in the middle seat.
[1:06] Some vehicles do allow this,
but you need to read the vehicle
[1:09] and seat manuals
before installing that way.
[1:12] Another common error we see
involves the crotch strap.
[1:15] Many times,
[1:15] the caretaker
will pull the crotch strap
[1:17] through a different opening
in the fabric of the seat,
[1:20] instead of actually
moving the anchor
[1:22] to provide more room
for the child.
[1:24] Additionally, twisted and loose
harnesses are another common
[1:27] problem we see.
[1:28] Ensure that you're
following the shoulder
[1:30] strap rule
[1:31] whether the seat is forward
or rear facing,
[1:33] and that the straps
are not twisted.
[1:35] The harness should also
be tight enough
[1:36] so that you can not pinch any
extra slack at the shoulders.
[1:40] Properly installed
car seats are one of the most
[1:42] effective ways
to keep our youngest residents
[1:44] safe as they ride in motor
vehicles.
[1:46] Please help us
keep our community safe
[1:47] by following Minnesota's
car seat laws,
[1:49] properly
installing your car seat,
[1:51] and getting your car seat
checked. If you have
[1:53] any concerns, it might
not be installed correctly.
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