Majority of Colorado parents don't properly install child car seats, state patrol says

The Colorado State Patrol is providing new information about car seat installation. State troopers say three-quarters of car seats in vehicles are still not being installed correctly. The CSP says 75% of the car seats that are checked by technicians are found to be installed or used incorrectly.     

That percentage dropped from 78% reported in 2024. To help fix this issue, car seat technicians are meeting up with parents for free to help them install their child's car seat.

The car seat laws in Colorado changed on Jan. 1, 2025. These include:

Rear-facing car seat

• Required if the child is under 2 years old and under 40 pounds.
• Must go in the back seat if available.
• Can stay rear-facing longer if the car seat allows.
• Forward-facing car seat

Required if the child is:

• Under 2 years old but over 40 pounds, or
• 2-4 years old and over 20 pounds.
• Must go in the back seat if available.
• Can continue past age 4 if the car seat allows.

Forward-facing car seat

• Required if child is:
• Under 2 years old but over 40 lbs, or

• 2–4 years old and over 20 pounds.
• Must go in the back seat if available.
• Can continue past age 4 if the car seat allows.

Booster seat

Required for kids 4–9 years old and at least 40 pounds.

• Must go in the back seat if available.
• Can continue past age 9 if needed.

Seat belt

• For kids 9–18 years old.
• Must fit properly in the seat belt.

Car seat technicians say that with this new law change, parents are still having their child's car seat and harness too tight or too loose. The chest clip also needs to cover the child along their chest or nipple line. 

Car seat technicians are asking parents to read their car seat and vehicle manuals. These have specific installation instructions. Parents must make the choice to use a seat belt or the LATCH system. Never ever use both.

With the seat belt, thread it through the belt path and make sure there are no twists in the seat belt. With the LATCH, connect the car seat's lower connectors to the lower anchors. Check for movement; it should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back. 

Car seat technicians say this may sound like a lot of instructions to follow, but one slip-up in the event of a crash and that is the difference between injury and death.

"Your child is the most important thing in your life, so you need to protect them as much as you can," Colorado State Trooper Kent Trimbach, Program Coordinator for Child Safety Program, said. "All of our stuff is showing that if you install your car seat correctly, the chances of serious bodily injury or death have really reduced."

As the weather gets cooler, car seat technicians are reminding parents not to put their child in a car seat with their jacket on. The harness needs to fit tightly across their body. Put the jacket or a blanket over the child and the seat.

Also, be careful of counterfeit car seats. It is recommended to buy them new. If you do get a used one, make sure it is someone you trust and not random garage sales. Cheaper prices can lead to the car seat being fake. Also, check for the federal sticker, expiration dates, and misspellings. 

Also, make sure to check the vehicle for any recalls. Those who are interested in a free child car seat installation can find information online.