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Brought to you by the Texas Department of Transportation

Car seats save lives — when
properly installed.

Did you know nearly half of all child car seats on the road today are not installed correctly?

This staggering statistic is a reminder that everyone with a child passenger should verify their car seat is installed properly. There are five common mistakes made during child car seat installations, including using the wrong seat belt path to secure the device.

To make certain your car seat is installed correctly, TxDOT offers FREE child safety seat inspections year-round at its district offices throughout the state. These inspections usually take 20 to 30 minutes and are worth the time to fully protect your child in a moving vehicle.

Sign up for a FREE car seat inspection by typing your zip code in the box below to send an email to a TxDOT traffic safety specialist near you.

KNOW THE LAW

Texas Transportation Code 545.412:

All children younger than 8 years old, unless taller than 4’9”, are required to be in the appropriate child safety seat system whenever they ride in a passenger vehicle. The safety seat system MUST be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Make sure your child Is in a properly installed and correct size car seat.

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Stage 1
Rear-facing seat
All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 years old, or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat’s manufacturer.
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Stage 2
Convertible or forward-facing seat
Any child 2 or older who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for a car seat should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat’s manufacturer. This also applies to any child younger than 2 years who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat.
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Stage 3
Forward-facing or booster seat
Children whose weight or height exceeds the limit for a forward-facing car seat should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat. These children should remain in a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach four feet nine inches (4’9”) in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
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Stage 4
Seat belts
When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection. Lap portion should be low over the hips/tops of the thighs (not over the stomach) and shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder and center of the chest (not the neck). Children younger than 13 years old are safest in the back seat.

#EndTheStreakTX

“Save Me With a Seat” is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, never texting and driving, never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and using a car seat properly.

Nov. 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways.