As children grow, the car seat or booster that fit them safely a few months ago may no longer be the right choice.

That is the message behind this year’s Child Passenger Safety Week, observed September 20 through 26, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Ad Council campaign, “They Grow. You Check.”

NHTSA Highway Safety Specialist Laura Dunn told Radio Catskill that one of the first things parents and caregivers should do is check the labels on their child’s car seat.

“They each have minimum and maximum height and weight limits,” Dunn said. Parents should make sure their child still falls within those limits and that the seat is properly installed.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13, according to NHTSA. The agency recommends choosing a restraint based on a child’s age and size, making sure the seat fits the vehicle and following both the car seat manufacturer’s instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual.

Dunn said size can often be more important than age because children grow at different rates. NHTSA offers an online Car Seat Finder that allows parents to enter a child’s age, height and weight to identify appropriate restraint options.

Parents should also watch for signs that a child is beginning to outgrow a seat.

For rear-facing infant seats, Dunn said there should generally be at least an inch between the top of the child’s head and the top of the seat’s shell. With other car seats, signs can include difficulty properly tightening or positioning the harness, shoulders rising above the appropriate harness slots or the child no longer fitting correctly in the headrest area.

New York requires children to remain rear-facing until at least age 2, unless they reach the rear-facing height or weight limit established by the car seat manufacturer. NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing for as long as their seat’s limits allow.

Once children move to a forward-facing car seat, they should remain in a harness and use the seat’s tether until reaching the manufacturer’s height or weight limit.

Dunn stressed that the tether is an important part of installing a forward-facing seat and should be attached to the vehicle’s designated tether anchor — not a cargo hook or another attachment point.

The tether helps limit how far a child’s head and car seat move forward during a crash, Dunn said.

Children who outgrow a forward-facing seat may still need a booster seat. A child is ready to use a vehicle seat belt without a booster only when the belt fits properly, with the lap belt resting across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt crossing the shoulder and chest.

Children should continue riding in the back seat at least through age 12.

Correct installation is just as important as choosing the right seat.

Dunn said one mistake she commonly encounters involves car seats installed with a vehicle seat belt. For harness-equipped car seats, parents may need to switch the seat belt into its locking mode so the car seat stays firmly secured.

“A car seat shouldn’t move more than an inch from side to side or front to back,” Dunn said.

After a crash, parents should also check with the car seat manufacturer before continuing to use the restraint. Dunn said manufacturers can advise whether a seat needs to be replaced based on the circumstances of the crash.

NHTSA reports that 39 percent of children killed in car crashes in 2024 were unrestrained.

For families in rural communities such as Sullivan, Orange, Ulster and Delaware counties, finding hands-on car seat assistance can sometimes require additional travel.

NHTSA operates an online inspection station locator where parents can enter their ZIP code to find certified child passenger safety technicians and inspection sites. Dunn said about 5,000 inspection stations are listed nationwide, and additional free car seat check events are often offered during Child Passenger Safety Week through police departments, fire departments, hospitals and other safety organizations.

Parents preparing for a long drive can also do a basic check at home: confirm the child remains within the seat’s height and weight limits, make sure the seat is firmly installed, check the harness position and tightness, use the tether on forward-facing seats and review both the car seat and vehicle manuals.

More information and NHTSA’s Car Seat Finder and inspection station locator are available at NHTSA’s child passenger safety website.