Governor Hochul Announces Free Car Seat Checks Available Statewide During Child Passenger Safety Week  

Governor Kathy Hochul today reminded parents and caregivers that free car seat checks by certified child passenger safety technicians are available statewide during Child Passenger Safety Week, which starts Sunday, September 15. This safety awareness week will culminate with more than a dozen coordinated statewide events on Saturday, September 21, as part of National Seat Check Saturday.

“Many parents and caregivers think they have properly installed a car seat only to learn through these seat checks that they haven’t,” Governor Hochul said. “It is very common for seats to be installed incorrectly or to be the wrong fit for the child’s size, so I urge all parents and caregivers to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure their children are properly secured.”

The events are part of an ongoing initiative funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) in which various community partners offer free car seat fittings. Through those grants administered in Federal Fiscal Year 2023, GTSC sponsored 377 car seat check events throughout the state, where a total of 3,779 seats were checked, resulting in 947 car seats provided to families to replace outdated, recalled or inappropriate seats. During that same period, 24 standardized child passenger safety (CPS) technician trainings were conducted, producing 363 new certified technicians. New York State currently has 2,154 certified technicians and instructors throughout the state who are capable of installing car seats and educating caregivers on proper installation of seats. Nearly 20 additional CPS technicians will complete the certification process in Albany County on National Seat Check Saturday.

NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Crashes are one of the leading killers of children, but correctly using a car seat, booster seat or seat belt is the most effective way to minimize that risk. GTSC is proud to support state, local and not-for-profit agencies in offering free car seat inspections at permanent fitting stations and check events throughout the state.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around half (46 percent) of car seats are installed incorrectly, yet most parents and caregivers believe they have been installed properly. In addition, vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death among children. NHTSA states that 756 children under the age of 15 were killed in traffic crashes in 2022, and more than 120,000 children were injured.

The car seat check events aim to ensure all parents and caregivers understand how to choose an appropriate seat for the child's age and size and how to install the seat correctly. Trained technicians use the model of "Learn, Practice, and Explain" to educate caregivers on how to select a child restraint that will fit their child, fit their vehicle and be used correctly every time.

Parents and caregivers can visit the GTSC website to find free Child Passenger Safety Week car seat check events in their region, or they can make an appointment at a year-round regional car seat fitting site.

The following are the events by region scheduled on National Seat Check Saturday, September 21:

CAPITAL REGION

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Walmart Supercenter, 460 Fairview Avenue, Greenport
For more information, contact Sergeant Jason Garvey at (518) 828-3344 or [email protected].

When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Crossgates Mall Overflow Lot (near JCPenney), 1 Crossgates Mall Road, Guilderland
For more information, contact William Van Alstyne at (518) 765-2565 or [email protected].

CENTRAL NEW YORK

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: SUNY Oswego, Lot 7, Shelden Avenue, Oswego
For more information, contact Katelynn Kron at (315) 343-2344 or [email protected].

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Dr. Mohammad Djafari's Office, 15 Kennedy Parkway, Cortland
For more information, contact ReBecca Main at (607) 758-5509 or [email protected].

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Town of Cicero Police Department, 6200 Route 31, Cicero
For more information, contact Lieutenant James Meyers at (315) 752-0080 or [email protected].

FINGER LAKES

When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Penn Yan Volunteer Ambulance CORP, 205 North Avenue, Penn Yan
For more information, contact Sergeant Chad M. Daggett, (315) 536-4438 or [email protected].

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Newark Fire Department, 150 East Miller Street, Newark
For more information, contact Amanda Briggs at (315) 946-5688 or [email protected].

HUDSON VALLEY

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: White Plains City Hall, 255 Main Street, White Plains
For more information, contact Lieutenant John Emhardt at (914) 422-6111 or [email protected].

When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Patterson Auto Body, 2597 NY-22, Patterson
For more information, contact Peter Dandreano at (845) 475-9746 or [email protected].

LONG ISLAND

When: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Brookhaven Safety Town, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville
For more information, contact Karen Harper at (631) 451-5335 or [email protected].

NORTH COUNTRY

When: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Morrisonville EMS, 21 Banker Road, Morrisonville
For more information, contact Anika Craig at (518) 536-2890 or [email protected].

SOUTHERN TIER

When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Visions Federal Credit Union, 5411 State Highway 12, Norwich
For more information, contact Tracy Rotundo at (607) 337-1863 or [email protected].

When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Endicott Fire Department, 224 Madison Avenue, Endicott
For more information, contact Christine Marion at (607) 778-2807 or [email protected].

WESTERN NEW YORK

When: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Sisters Hospital St. Joseph's Campus, 2605 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga
Appointment Information: Please call Catholic Health's Health Connection to register for an appointment time. Same day appointments will be made when available.
For more information, contact Catholic Health at (716) 447-6205.

The GTSC website provides a series of videos  produced by NHTSA on proper installation of rear-facing and forward-facing car seats and booster seats. NHTSA also offers information on registering a car seat, finding the right car seat based on a child’s age and size, and  ratings on all car seats.

For more information about GTSC, visit  trafficsafety.ny.gov, or follow GTSC on  Facebook and X.