Free Car Seat Safety Check Coming to Oneida

Installing a child’s car seat can feel like solving a puzzle where the instructions somehow create more questions than answers.

Is it tight enough? Is the harness in the right place? Is your child ready to face forward or move into a booster seat?

Central New York parents can get those questions answered during a free Child Seat Safety Event in Oneida.

Free Car Seat Check at Oneida Family YMCA

Madison County is hosting the event on Wednesday, September 23, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Oneida Family YMCA, located at 701 Seneca Street in Oneida. The car seat check will take place in the rear parking lot. (There will be signs to help direct families to the correct location.)

No appointment is necessary. Parents and caregivers are asked to bring their child, if possible, and attempt to install the car seat before arriving.

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Trained professionals will check the seat, explain how to install it correctly and offer guidance based on the child’s age, height and weight. The goal isn't to just install the seat for parents, but to make sure they know how to use it correctly every time.

The event is sponsored by Madison County Public Health, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

New York Car Seat Laws Parents Should Know

New York law requires children to use an appropriate child restraint until their eighth birthday. The correct restraint could be a car seat with a harness or a belt-positioning booster seat, depending on the child’s size and the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Children must remain rear-facing until at least age 2 or until they reach the rear-facing height or weight limit established by the car seat manufacturer.

Even after turning 8, some children may still need a booster seat. New York recommends continuing to use an appropriate child restraint if a child is shorter than 4 feet 9 inches or weighs less than 100 pounds.

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Parents can check the fit by having the child sit with their back against the vehicle seat and their knees bending comfortably over the edge. The lap belt should sit low and snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should cross the chest and shoulder without touching the neck or face.

If the seat belt does not fit correctly, the child should continue using a booster seat.

What If You Cannot Attend the Event?

Parents who cannot make it to the Oneida event can schedule a separate car seat safety check through Madison County Public Health in Wampsville.

Call 315-366-2361 and select option 2 for more information or to make an appointment.

The Oneida event is being held as part of Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs from September 20 through September 26.