It's surprising, but 80% of car seats are improperly installed, according to Cottage Health's Mayra Vazquez.
"Unfortunately, car seats are not very intuitive, and a lot of details are missed," said Vazquez.
Vazquez is one of about 15 volunteers helping families in Goleta ensure their car seats are installed correctly at Friday's free safety clinic at the Goleta Community Center.
To become an authorized Child Passenger Safety technician, volunteers must complete a 40-hour training course. For families who don't have time for exclusive training, free local clinics run by Cottage Health, county fire departments, and the California Highway Patrol can help check car seat installations.
"All cars are not created equal, and not all car seats are created equal." Vazquez adds.
Resident Kathleen Barnato has three grandchildren and stopped by the Goleta Community Center on Friday with her car seat to get an inspection.
"I have taken it in the past to the fire department, and I was told by my daughter-in-law that it was done incorrectly. So I'm hoping today that it'll pass her test once I take it back to show it to her," Barnato said.
Cottage Health technician Tyra Dark says car seat fit depends on age and weight, and one common mistake is facing a car seat the wrong direction.
"A lot of people forward face too soon. So people want to switch their babies around. But California law is two years of age, so that's the law. But we actually recommend as long as possible," Dark said.
Dark also warns against using both the latch system and the seatbelt to attach a seat.
"It actually puts too much pressure at the base of the car seat. If you have both methods installed, and if you were happened to be in a crash, it would be too much pressure for the car seat and it could potentially break," Dark said.
Dark adds parents should leave about an inch of space between the top of the car seat and the child's head, and follow all the seat manufacturer's instructions.
Below are links to car seat resources:
