Child Car Safety Seat Checks are available on most days between 8am-5pm.
Reserve a spot with using form to ensure we get you in. Please note that it is best to bring the child with you to the appointment to ensure they can be properly secured in the seat.
Keeping up-to-date with Virginia’s Child Restraint Law helps ensure you are correctly using the right seat for your child’s age and size. Following these requirements greatly reduces the chances of death or serious injury in a crash. Your child’s safety in the car requires the right seat, used the right way, every time. Reserve your spot here to come by the station for assistance.
Virginia's child passenger safety laws require all children under 8 to be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat, regardless of weight or height.
- Making sure every occupant in the car is properly restrained by a safety device - whether in a child safety seat or booster seat, or by a seat belt. Do not share seat belts.
- Never holding a child on your lap or allowing anyone to ride in the cargo area of a station wagon, van or pickup.
- Setting a good example by buckling up on every ride. Children are more likely to become lifelong seat belt users when their parents are lifelong seat belt users.
FAQ
Virginia law does not specify when children can ride in the front seat of a vehicle. However, according to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles page, all children under the age of 13 should be correctly secured in the back seat of a motor vehicle.
Child Safety Seat Check Reservation
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The Four Stages of Car Seats
Rear-Facing Car Seat
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) now recommend that all children ride rear facing until 2 years of age or as long as the safety seat manufacturer allows. For optimal protection, use the rear-facing child restraint until the child is at the highest weight or height specified in the manufacturer’s instructions or on the safety seat labels.
- Always position a rear-facing car seat toward the rear of the vehicle
- Follow the installation instructions in the manual for the safety seat
- Position the seat at the appropriate recline angle
- Run the harness straps through the slots at or below the infant’s shoulders
- Ensure that:
- The belt path is closest to where the bottom vehicle seat cushion and back seat cushion meet
- The retainer clip is at armpit level
- The crotch strap is in the correct position and is not too long
Forward-Facing Car Seat
The forward-facing car seat should not be used until the child is at least two years of age, weighs at least 20 pounds, and has reached the highest allowed weight for a rear-facing safety seat. For optimal protection, use the forward-facing child restraint until the child is at the highest weight or height specified in the manufacturer’s instructions or on the safety seat labels.
- Always position a forward-facing car seat toward the front of the vehicle
- The safety seat should be kept in an upright position, although some manufacturers allow a semi-reclined position
- Run the harness straps through the slots at or above the child’s shoulders
Booster Seat
When the child reaches the upper weight and height limits specified for a forward-facing car seat, a belt positioning booster can be considered for use. A child should remain in the booster seat until he/she is at least 8 years of age and 4 feet 9 inches tall.
The booster seat requires the use of a lap/shoulder belt and boosts the child to better fit the vehicle seat belt system. The lap belt should fit low and tight across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt should rest over the center of the shoulder through the center of the chest.
Adult Seat Belt
To be able to use an adult seat belt, the child should be at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and at least 8 years of age, and should be:
- Tall enough to comfortably sit without slouching
- Able to keep his/her back against the vehicle seat back
- Able to keep his/her knees completely bent over the edge of the seat
- Able to keep his/her feet flat on the floor
The lap belt should fit low and tight across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt should rest over the center of the shoulder through the center of the chest. If the seat belt does not fit properly, the child should use a booster seat.
Never put the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back. This can cause serious internal injuries in a crash.
SOURCE: Virginia DMV