When my oldest was born almost 7 years ago, I knew nothing about car seats other than that I needed one. I picked the one that fit my color scheme and fit in to the stroller I bought. When she was 15 months, she outgrew her infant seat and so I bought a convertible. No one told me I should install it rear facing until she was two years old at a minimum so I didn't. Every day I am thankful that we didn't get in a wreck when she was so unsafe. When she was three, we were rear ended waiting to turn into our own driveway. When I started looking for a replacement seat I realized how much I had done wrong and vowed to help educate other parents on how to keep their kids safest.
90% of car seats are installed or used incorrectly.
96% of parents believe their car seat is installed and used correctly.
This is a massive disconnect that leaves a huge number of children less safe than they should be in the car.
This is where the CPST comes in. It's my job to educate parents about best practice and to teach them how to install and use their seats correctly. I am certified through SafeKids Worldwide- the certifying body for all CPSTs. To obtain certification I had to attend a 4 day course that included instruction, written tests and practical exams (installs in cars) with a live seat check event for real parents on the last day.
So you're here and that's great! When you know better, you do better. Stick around and learn all about car seats. It's not just another piece of baby gear- it's a life saving device for your child and you need to learn to use it.
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