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Child Safety

From bicycle helmet and seat belt education to fire, drowning, and fall prevention, we are your local safety resource, dedicated to making Salt Lake County a safer place for children.

Did you know that preventable injuries—things like car crashes, drownings, fires, and falls—are the leading cause of death to kids? By working together and focusing on prevent, we can change this.

For more information about Safe Kids Salt Lake County, or if you have safety-related questions or would like to be involved in the coalition, please contact us.

Links

Safe Kids Salt Lake City Events

Two kids riding bikes.

Safe Kids Salt Lake County Coalition Meeting

South Redwood Public Health Center

1st Wednesday of the Month
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Learn More
A group of people walking on a field.

Safe Kids Coalition

We the lead coalition agency of the Salt Lake County chapter of Safe Kids Worldwide. Safe Kids Salt Lake County keeps kids safe by implementing evidence-based programs that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries.

Safe Kids Worldwide

How to Not Get Hit by a Car

Learn to Properly Fit a Bike Helmet for Your Child

Safe Kids Fair

The 2024 Safe Kids Fair was Saturday, March 30.

Check back here later in the year for information about the 2025 fair!

A person and a child in a car.

Car Seat Safety

The best way to keep your child safe is to have them in a car seat or booster seat that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and you can use correctly. When a car seat or booster seat is used correctly, it can reduce the risk of death by 71%.

Learn more how you can keep your child safe while riding in a vehicle.

Does Your Child Still Need a Booster Seat?

Car Seat Recommendations by Age

A properly fitting, properly installed car seat is essential to a child’s safety while riding in a motor vehicle. Follow these tips to protect your most valuable cargo!

  • Select a car seat based on your child’s height, weight and age
  • Select a car seat that fits your vehicle.
  • Read the owner’s manuals for your vehicle and your car seat so you understand where and how to properly install the seat.
  • Keep children in the back seat until age 13.
  • Keep children in a properly fitting car seat, or booster seat until they’re 57 inches tall, and can pass the seat belt fit test
  • Ensure that your car seat has not been recalled
  • When installed correctly, a car seat should not move more than one inch side-to-side and front-to-back.
  • Schedule a car seat appointment or a one-on-one safety check with a certified car seat technician to ensure your car seat is installed correctly.
  • You should not use a car seat:
    • older than 6 years, unless noted otherwise by the car seat manufacturer
    • if you don't know its expiration date
    • past its expiration date (usually stamped into the plastic or on the manufacturers label)
    • that has been involved in a crash (even if the car seat appears unharmed—there could be internal damage that decreases the safety of the seat)
  • We do not recommend using a secondhand car seat unless you know the full history of the seat (meaning that it has not been involved in a crash, has not expired, has not been recalled, and was previously used by someone you know and trust).

Car Seat Recall Info

Car Seat Safety Video Series

Find a local expert to make sure your car seat is the right size for your child and that it’s properly installed in your vehicle. Your vehicle and child must both be present to conduct a car seat safety check.

Safety checks typically take about 20-30 minutes per seat.

The Utah Department of Public Safety maintains a list of car seat inspection stations.

Or, schedule a free one-on-one safety check at our office in West Jordan by calling 385-468-5284.

Car Seat Inspection Stations

Schedule FREE 1-on-1 Safety Check

(385) 468-5284

The health department offers low-cost seats for families that meet certain income guidelines. Call to see if you qualify.

Car Seat Program

South Redwood Public Health Center

(385) 468-5284

7971 South 1825 West
West Jordan, Utah 84088

By appointment only
Monday through Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Car Seat FAQ

The best car seat for your child is one that fits correctly based on your child's height, weight and developmental level. Select a car seat that fits properly in your vehicle and that you are comfortable installing correctly every time.

Many car seats may overlap in terms of weight/height requirements, but a child may not be developmentally ready for certain seats.

For example, a 40 pound 4-year-old may "fit" in a booster based on the minimum height and weight requirements for the seat but may not be able to keep the seat belt in the proper position for the entire trip. Younger children are also more likely to "escape", whereas if they were still seated in a car seat with a 5-point harness, it would be more difficult for that child to get out of the seat.

Best practice is to keep a child in each stage of a car seat and booster seat until they have reached the maximum height or weight for that seat.

A 5-point harness is found in most car seats. It has two straps that cover both shoulders, go around the hips and connect with a buckle in between the child's legs. The chest clip/retainer clip will also be used to hold straps in proper position.

A 3-point harness refers to most lap and shoulder seat belts in a vehicle. The shoulder belt comes across one shoulder and over both hips.

While the back center seat is furthest from impact in a crash there are other factors that may determine the best location for a car seat. The best location for a car seat is where it can be correctly installed in the vehicle.

When selecting a seat location some things to consider are the following: direction of the car seat, other passengers riding in the vehicle and preference on installation method (i.e. LATCH or seatbelt).

The back seat is always the safest location for all children under 13. Never install a rear-facing car seat in front of an airbag.

Children should be rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height OR weight for that car seat (often between 2-4 years old). Most rear-facing convertible car seats can be used up to 40 lbs. OR 40" rear-facing.

When a child has maxed out their infant carrier seat, they should continue to ride rear-facing in a convertible car seat.

Rear-facing car seats have been found to be the most effective type of car seat to prevent injuries during a crash. Placing a child in a forward-facing position before they are physically ready can result in serious injury or death. A rear-facing seat has better support for a child's developing head, neck and spine. When rear-facing the car seat is designed to take the majority of the crash forces, and distribute the remaining forces over the entire body.

If your child's legs bend or fold at the knees or touch the back of the seat it does not mean that the child has outgrown their rear-facing car seat. It is normal for their feet to touch the back of the seat and does not pose an increased risk for injury during a crash.

The car seat should be tight enough that it doesn’t move more than 1 inch side-to-side or front-to-back right where the belt attaches to the car seat.

The harness straps should be snug enough that you cannot pinch any slack in the belt at the child’s shoulder, and the chest clip/retainer clip is in line with the child's armpits.

Winter coats, bulky jackets or heavy sweaters should be removed in order to make sure the harness is properly tight. Bulky clothing can prevent a snug fit of the harness, which has to be tight at the shoulders and hips every time to prevent the child from being ejected out of the car seat during a crash. You might think the harness is tight enough when it isn't. Remember to "strap" then "wrap". Remove the child's coat and make sure the harness is tight and then place the coat, jacket or blanket over the child to keep them warm during colder weather.

Many car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture. However, some seats have a 7-10 year expiration. Most car seats will have the expiration information on the manufacturer label or stamped into the plastic of the car seat. You can also visit the manufacturers website to determine the expiration date.

We do not recommend the use of secondhand car seats unless you know the full history of the seat. Has the seat been involved in a crash? Has the car seat expired? Has the car seat been recalled? If the answer is yes to any of these questions the car seat should not be used. We do not recommend buying or using a secondhand car seat from someone you do not know or trust.

Buckle Up for Love, a program of the Utah Safety Council, accepts reports of a vehicle transporting children unsafely. You will need to note the vehicle's license plate number.

Many car seat manufacturers require replacing a car seat after a crash regardless of the severity whether or not the car seat was in use at the time of the crash. Some manufacturers suggest replacing a car seat based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommendations on when to replace after a crash. After a crash reach out directly to the car seat manufacturer and to determine if the car seat needs to be replaced.

Additional Resources

Click-It Utah

Simple Steps to Child Passenger Safety (English)

Simple Steps to Child Passenger Safety (Spanish)