Every September, Child Passenger Safety Week (this year running September 20–26) puts a spotlight on one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect kids: the right car seat, used the right way, every single ride.
Car seats aren't part of the Jool Baby product lineup — but safety is the whole reason Jool Baby exists, and that doesn't stop at our own product categories.
As a Baby Safety Alliance Ambassador, we're proud to support the work the Alliance and NHTSA are doing this week, including a National Seat Check event in Washington, DC on Saturday September 26.
Why This Week Matters
Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for children in the U.S. — on average, two children under 14 are killed and hundreds more are injured every single day while riding in passenger vehicles, according to NHTSA. The frustrating part is how preventable much of that risk is: correctly installed car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Yet NHTSA research has found that nearly half of all car seats are installed with at least one error that could reduce that protection in a crash.
That gap — between what car seats can do and what they actually do when misused — is exactly what Child Passenger Safety Week exists to close.
The Car Seat Questions Parents Search For Most
How long should my child stay rear-facing? Longer than most parents expect. NHTSA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend keeping children rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of their specific seat — not switching at a certain age. For many convertible seats, that means well past age 2.
When can my child move to a booster seat? Not until they've outgrown the forward-facing harness seat's height or weight limit, which is typically somewhere between ages 4 and 7 depending on the child and seat.
When can my child just use the regular seat belt? Only once the seat belt fits properly on its own — lap belt snug across the upper thighs, shoulder belt across the chest, not the neck or stomach. For most kids, that's not until they're between 8 and 12 years old and around 4'9" tall, which is often later than parents assume.
Do car seats actually expire? Yes. Most car seats have an expiration date, usually 6–10 years from the manufacture date, printed or stamped somewhere on the seat itself. Plastic degrades over time, and older seats may not meet current safety standards — so it's worth checking, especially on hand-me-down or secondhand seats.
Is it safe to use a winter coat under the harness? Not a bulky one. Puffy coats compress in a crash, which can leave the harness dangerously loose even though it looked snug beforehand. The safer approach is to buckle your child in a thin layer, then add the coat backward over the buckled harness, or use a car seat-safe cover designed to go over the straps.
Can I buy a used car seat? It depends. A used seat is only safe if you know its full history — it's never been in a crash, hasn't expired, hasn't been recalled, and comes with its original manual. If you can't confirm all of that, it's not worth the risk.
How do I know if my seat is actually installed correctly? This is the one most parents get wrong without realizing it. A properly installed seat shouldn't move more than an inch side-to-side or front-to-back when pulled at the belt path. If yours moves more than that, it's worth a second look — or better yet, a free inspection.
A Simple Framework Worth Knowing: S.E.A.T.
The Baby Safety Alliance created a simple framework to help take the guesswork out of car seat safety, and it's worth keeping in mind before every ride:
- Select the right seat for your child's current age, height, and weight
- Ensure it's properly attached, with less than an inch of movement at the base
- Adjust the harness so it lies flat with no slack, at the correct height for rear- or forward-facing use
- Technical help is available — free, from a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, if you're ever unsure
Get a Free Seat Check
Here's the honest truth: even careful, attentive parents get car seat installation wrong sometimes. It's not a knock on anyone — car seats and vehicles vary widely, and the instructions aren't always intuitive. That's exactly why free inspection events exist.
If you've never had your car seat checked by a certified technician, Child Passenger Safety Week is a great excuse to do it. You can find a free inspection station near you through NHTSA's car seat inspection locator, any time of year — not just this week.
Car seats aren't something Jool Baby makes, but making sure every child gets home safely is exactly the kind of mission we're glad to stand behind.