SCDPS Encourages Car Seat Safety During Child Passenger Safety Week

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety will join state agencies across the country to raise awareness of child passenger safety during the annual Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs September 15 – 21, 2024.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about half (48%) of all child safety seats are not installed correctly.
To reduce that number, state highway safety agencies are taking this important message to our communities to promote the importance of choosing the right car seat for a child’s age, height, and weight. Additional information on how to properly install a child safety seat will also be available, helping ensure the safety of children inside moving vehicles on the roads.

“It is our job as parents and caregivers to ensure our children are safe and secure while traveling. They rely on us to do the right thing,” SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV said. “Too often our troopers and officers see what happens to people in a traffic collision who were not restrained properly. It’s devastating to see and 100% preventable.”

During the education outreach, SCDPS will partner with organizations such as the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, the SC Department of Public Health, and Safe Kids South Carolina to offer free car seat demonstrations to parents and caregivers.

Additional information on the Child Passenger Safety Laws in South Carolina is provided below:

• It’s important to remember — the safest place for all children is in the back seat.
• Infants under two years old must be secured in a rear-facing car seat until the child exceeds the height or weight limit allowed by the manufacturer of the car seat before moving to a forward-facing car seat.
• A child at least age two or under two who has outgrown the manufacturer’s height or weight limits for a rear-facing car seat must be secured in a forward-facing car seat in a rear seat of the vehicle until the child exceeds the highest height or weight requirements of the forward-facing car seat.
• Children who are at least four years old and have outgrown a forward-facing seat may be moved to a booster seat until they meet the height and fit requirements for an adult safety belt.
• A child at least age 8 or at least 57 inches tall may be restrained by an adult safety belt if the child can be secured properly by an adult safety seat belt.
• Car seats and booster seats should be registered with the seat manufacturer for important safety updates or recalls that may occur. Parents and caregivers can view more information on car seat safety and locate a certified technician at www.nhtsa.gov/carseat, or at the SCDPS website, https://scdps.sc.gov/buckleupsc/safety_seat_law.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) offers free inspection stations throughout the state. Find a location near you by visiting this webpage and selecting the “Get Your Car Seat Checked by a Certified Technician” button at the top of the page. To make an appointment, select a location, call the number provided, and request an appointment for a car seat safety check.