AAA: Most car seats installed incorrectly as Child Passenger Safety Week begins

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — As National Child Passenger Safety Week gets underway, AAA says parents still have work to do to keep kids safe in the car.

According to AAA, 67% of car seats checked in 2024 were improperly installed or used. Safety officials say that can be the difference between a minor injury and something far worse in a crash.

Oro Valley parent Zach Herman said he put in the research to get it right. “I did a lot of initial research to make sure that I was going to be doing it correctly and I had proper seat placement in the vehicle,” he said. He added that he installed the seat to “a high level of satisfaction for myself, making sure that it would not wiggle or jiggle or move or do anything.”

His wife, Amy Herman, said installation can be more challenging than it looks. “I wouldn’t have had the strength that he put in, because I tightened it to, like my ability, and it still would wiggle… So I think that it is a little harder than I expected to make it really feel sturdy and like it’s gonna stay,” she said. Amy added she would consider a professional check: “I get nervous at the idea of not installing it correctly… I don’t want to make a mistake that’s super crucial.”

Fire officials say common mistakes include moving children to the next stage of seat too early and relying on secondhand seats that may be expired, recalled or damaged. Dan Habinek, Community Education Supervisor with the Golder Ranch Fire Department, said, “We want to make sure that we have the safest and latest protection for those children.” He also emphasized the basics: “We want to make sure we have that car seat snug, secure, properly installed. The harness system is correct. And we want to make sure the right age, the right height and also weight is following in with the guidelines.”

Habinek said their checks are hands-on and designed to send families home confident. “It’s a total immersion and a hands-on experience,” he said, describing how technicians demonstrate, then have caregivers install the seat themselves under supervision.

Local police and fire departments — including Golder Ranch — offer free car seat safety checks year-round. Parents can make an appointment to have a certified technician walk through proper installation and fit.

Visit here for a list of locations near you.