Harness use is the most common error in Colorado car seat installation
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Statewide — Despite advancements in vehicle safety, car crashes continue to pose a substantial risk to children, and more than 73% of car seats checked in Colorado last year were installed or used incorrectly. With car crashes continuing to be a leading cause of death and injury for children, ensuring every child is properly restrained is a critical issue. Car Seats Colorado, a collaboration between the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol, aims to educate caregivers on installing their car seats and booster seats correctly.
National Child Passenger Safety Week, observed from Sept. 20 to 26, is a great time to focus on child passenger safety data and educate parents and caregivers about the importance of proper car seat use. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), when used correctly, child restraints reduce fatalities by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in passenger vehicles.
“Ensuring your child is protected in the car starts with using the proper safety restraint and making sure it’s installed correctly,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. "Whether or not a car seat works as designed is dependent on being used properly. Knowing how to correctly install and use a car seat can empower caregivers to keep children safe on the road.”
Correct use of a car seat, booster or seat belt for children
Car Seats Colorado emphasizes that car seats, boosters and seat belts are designed to protect children based on their size, not their age. A seat belt fits properly when the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs — not the stomach — and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the shoulder and chest, rather than the neck or face. Several updates to Colorado’s child passenger safety laws went into effect in 2025. Key changes include:
- Raising the age requirement for mandatory use of a car seat or booster from 8 to 9 years old
- Requiring children to remain in rear-facing car seats if they are under 2 years of age and weigh less than 40 pounds
- If they are over 2 years of age, they can be rear or forward-facing as long as they weigh at least 20 pounds
- Requiring children to be properly restrained in a seat belt until they are 18, a change from the previous requirement of 16
- Learn more about these changes at CarSeatsColorado.com
Healthcare groups are also seeing an increase in the use of counterfeit car seats, or seats brought from other countries or purchased online that don’t comply with U.S. safety standards. To check if a car seat is legit, look for a federal safety label with the car seat name, model number and manufacturer name. It should say, “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles.” Additionally, check that the car seat comes with a user manual and registration card.
“Our little ones rely on us to keep them safe, especially when it comes to car travel. Children can't protect themselves, and that's why it falls upon parents and caregivers to ensure that they are properly secured when riding in a vehicle,” said Trooper Kent Trimbach, program coordinator for Car Seats Colorado. “It’s your responsibility to equip yourself with the knowledge and resources to keep them safe on the road.”
According to checks performed in Colorado in 2025, the most common types of misuse are:
- Harness: 68.5%
- Common misuse subtypes:
- Harness slot wrong placement
- Harness too loose
- Crotch buckle slot/routing
- Common misuse subtypes:
- Seat belt installation for car seats: 63.2%
- Common misuse subtypes:
- Seat belt too loose
- Seat belt used with lower anchors
- Seat belt retractor locked
- Common misuse subtypes:
Resources for Parents
Parents can visit CarSeatsColorado.com to learn more about the current laws, find instructional videos, and locate nearby inspection stations to have their car seat checked by a certified technician, free of charge. If you are struggling to afford a safe car seat, local organizations such as WeeCycle, Children’s Hospital Colorado and SafeKids Colorado offer programs to help families get the equipment they need.
About Car Seats Colorado
Car Seats Colorado is a joint effort of the Colorado State Patrol, CDOT, local car seat technicians, law enforcement, emergency services and other professionals who are dedicated to implementing child passenger safety programs and encouraging parents to take the necessary steps to protect their children when in vehicles. Learn more about how to keep children safe in vehicles and download informational resources at CarSeatsColorado.com.
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