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In 2025, nearly three out of four car seats checked in North Dakota were found to have at least one misuse, according to North Dakota car seat checkup data.
During Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 20-26, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) and Vision Zero are encouraging parents and caregivers to make sure children are properly secured in the right car seat and to seek help from a certified child passenger safety technician.
"Car seats are designed to protect children, but they need to be used correctly to provide the protection they are intended to provide," Dawn Mayer, HHS child passenger safety coordinator, said. "A trained child passenger safety technician can work with parents and caregivers to make sure the car seat is appropriate for the child, installed correctly and used properly."
The most common errors identified during North Dakota car seat checks include:
- 56% had incorrect harness use. The harness secures the child in the car seat and should be snug, with no excess slack.
- 47% had incorrect tether use. The tether attaches the top of a forward-facing car seat to the vehicle and helps limit movement during a crash.
- 40% had incorrect lower anchor use. Lower-anchors are built-in connection points in a vehicle that can be used to install compatible car seats. To install a car seat, use the lower anchors or seat belt, not both.
HHS recommends that parents and caregivers:
- Restrain children younger than 13 in the back seat.
- Keep children in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, within the car seat’s height and weight limits.
- Use a forward-facing car seat with a harness after a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat's height and weight limits.
- Always use the tether when using forward-facing car seats with harnesses. Follow the car seat instructions.
- After a child outgrows the forward-facing car seat, use a booster seat until the vehicle's lap and shoulder seat belt fits properly.
- Secure children snugly in the car seat according to the car seat manufacturer’s instructions.
- Install car seats according to both the car seat and vehicle owner’s manuals.
- Register car seats with the manufacturer, check for recalls and monitor expiration dates.
- Replace car seats after a moderate or severe crash. Car seats can be damaged in a crash even when damage is not visible. Check the car seat manufacturer's guidance for replacement after a crash and other instructions.
- Get a car seat check.
Certified Child Passenger Safety technicians are available throughout North Dakota to provide hands-on assistance and help families correctly use their child’s car seat.
To find a child passenger safety technician or learn more about car seat safety, visit the HHS child passenger safety webpage. The webpage also includes year-round resources for families and organizations, including best practices, educational materials, printable resources and information about car seat check events. For assistance, call the HHS Child Passenger Safety Program at 800-472-2286 and press 2, or 711 (TTY).