Happy Father’s Day! 7 child passenger safety tips for dads (and moms, too)

As a dad, Father's Day is a day to sit back, relax, and let the respect and gratitude of your family wash over you. Or maybe it's just a good day to get some yard work done. Either way, you love your kids and want to do everything you can to protect them. There's a lot to being a good dad, so let Car Seats Colorado help you manage one small part with this short list of car seat safety tips.

Car Seat Safety Tips

1. Read, read, read.
   Car seat safety may seem simple, but there are a lot of factors at play. Getting familiar with car seat manuals, your automobile's owner's manual, and recall lists is the first step in making sure your child is well-protected should something bad happen on the road.
   
   
2. New dad? Plan ahead.
   OK, so maybe you're not a dad yet, but you've got a baby on the way. Take the time before the big day to plan ahead and make sure you have the right car seat with the right inserts for a tiny newborn—and always, always have them rear-facing.
   
   
3. Stand strong.
   Your child might be older and reaching the upper end of needing a booster seat, but don't let them talk you into throwing it out before they're ready—no matter how much they plead, scowl or stomp their feet.
   
   
4. It's OK to be a know-it-all.
   So, your kids are grown and riding shotgun; that doesn't mean you can't urge your friends and family to take child passenger safety seriously. You could even become a certified pro by taking one of our car seat safety technician certification classes. Keep tabs on courses coming to your town on our Facebook page events calendar.
   
   
5. Pay it forward.
   Recycle your car seat or do everything right before you hand it down. Learn more about the Car Seats Colorado Recycling Program.
   
   
6. When in doubt, use a checklist.
   All the aforementioned reading aside, it's likely you still have questions. Follow this five-step checklist to make assessing proper booster and seat belt fit quick and easy.
   
   
7. Never shy away from asking for help.
   We know it's not easy being a dad (or mom), so that's why Car Seats Colorado has put together a wealth of information on our website, CarSeatsColorado.com. And when in doubt, there are certified car seat technicians statewide at the ready to give you a free car seat inspection and answer all the questions you might have—and even some you didn't know you had.