Car Seat Installation

The North Riverside Fire Department offers free car safety seat inspections on an appointment basis only. Technicians will check your car seat for safety and proper installation. Please call 708-447-1981 to make an appointment. We may not have a car seat technician on duty when you call so please have other date options of when you are available. The Car Seat Tech will instruct the parent/guardian on the proper harness application and perform a visual inspection ONLY. We don’t provide or sell car seats. Below are some child safety guidelines:

Always read and follow the child safety seat and vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for installation and height/weight guidelines.

Newborn-2 years Effective Jan. 1, 2019, Illinois law will require children under age 2 to be properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint system unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or are more than 40 inches tall. Children must remain rear-facing until age 2.

Children riding rear-facing may use a rear-facing only car seat or a convertible car seat installed rear-facing. Always follow the car seat manufacturers harnessing instructions and height and weight limitations for a rear-facing installation.

· Never install a rear-facing safety seat in front of an active airbag.

· Follow the recline indicator for rear-facing installation.

· The child’s head may need at least 1 inch or more below the top of the safety seat when rear-facing.

· Use the harness straps/slots at or below shoulder level when rear-facing.

· Harness straps must be snug on the child; the harness clip should be at armpit level.

Ages 2-4 Children should remain in a rear-facing safety seat for as long as possible, or until they are at the upper height or weight limit of the seat. When a child out- grows a rear-facing safety seat, he or she may transition to a forward-facing seat with a harness system.

· Use the internal harness system until the upper height or weight limit is reached.

· Use harness straps/slots at or above shoulder level when forward-facing.

· Harness straps must be snug on the child; the harness clip should be at armpit level.

· The top of the child’s ears should not be above the top of the car seat when forward-facing.

Ages 4-8 Children should be secured in a forward-facing safety seat with an internal harness system until they reach the upper height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. When a child outgrows the forward-facing seat, he or she may transition to a belt-positioning booster seat.

· Booster seats must be used with the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt, never just a lap belt.

· The lap belt should lie low across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should rest snugly across the shoulder and chest, not across the neck or face.

· The top of the child’s ears should not be above the top of the back of a booster seat with a back.

· If using a backless booster seat, the vehicle’s head restraint must be positioned properly.

· Secure the booster seat with the vehicle’s seat belt when not in use.

Ages 8-12 Children should stay in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are tall enough to properly fit in an adult lap/shoulder belt.

· The vehicle lap belt must lie low across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should rest snugly across the shoulder and chest, not across the neck or face.

· The child’s back and hips should be against the back of the vehicle seat, without slouching.

· Knees should bend easily over the front edge of the vehicle seat with the feet flat on the floor.