Good questions to ask for car seat checks?

L

LuciaBella

Guest
So, I'm thinking about sending out a poll for parents of kids in my girls preschool. I've seen lots of crazy things-expired Marathons, kids too tall for Roundabouts...2 yr olds in boosters...etc

I'm going to print out sheets, then put them in the kids cubbies and hopefully the parents will fill them out and return them.

I need questions so the parents will actually come to a seat check if I have one.
Questions I have so far:
1. What type of car make/model/year do you drive?
2. What type of child restraint is your child sitting in now: infant seat, RF convertible, FF convertible, Booster, seat belt
3. What system are you using to restrain the child seat in:LATCH, seatbelt, both, I dont know
4. Where is the child placed in the car? Middle, passenger, drivers, front seat

get the picture? I just want parents to come to a seat check!!
 
ADS

a_js

New member
I might rephrase some of these, but..

-How did you select the carseat you have?
-What factors are most important to you when buying a seat? (Price, color choices, whatever..)
-Did you know that most carseats are installed incorrectly?
-Would you be interested in having a child passenger safety technician check your seating arrangement at no charge?
-Is your seat over 6 years old?
 

Joyofbirth

New member
Question #3, I would remove both. I feel like it might plant a seed where there isn't one. It also might make parents think it's an actual option. If they don't get their seats checked, they won't know it's not okay since it's on the list. If they use both, they will probably circle both.
 

Maedze

New member
I would check with the school about organizing an event before dropping questionairres into a cubby.
 
L

LuciaBella

Guest
Question #3, I would remove both. I feel like it might plant a seed where there isn't one. It also might make parents think it's an actual option. If they don't get their seats checked, they won't know it's not okay since it's on the list. If they use both, they will probably circle both.

I agree. I will take this one out.

I would check with the school about organizing an event before dropping questionairres into a cubby.

I just talked to the preschool coordinater and she is all for it! She said it might be better to see if there is an actual need out there to learn about child car safety. She mentioned maybe I should ask questions like "do you know that car seats expire?" and "When is a good time to transition my child into a booster"

The main thing I've seen is expired seats and tiny immature children in boosters.
 

Maedze

New member
I agree. I will take this one out.



I just talked to the preschool coordinater and she is all for it! She said it might be better to see if there is an actual need out there to learn about child car safety. She mentioned maybe I should ask questions like "do you know that car seats expire?" and "When is a good time to transition my child into a booster"

The main thing I've seen is expired seats and tiny immature children in boosters.

If you intend to have an event, I'd get in touch with your local SafeKids/coalition and make it more 'official'. They can bring funds and advertising. Plus, as a general rule, a relatively new technician running an event is a poor idea, unless you have the back up of experienced technicians and senior checkers.

Rather than doing drop offs in people's cubbies (trust me, those concessionaires will end up in the recycling), put a clipboard with the questions in a main area by the entrance to the classroom, complete with a box with a slot cut in it for completed forms. You're a lot more likely to get actual answers.
 

Pixels

New member
What are the age/wt/ht of the child?
Do you have more than two kids in the vehicle? (Two isn't usually so bad, but three-across you start getting into issues like who goes where, and independent installs.)
 

BigDaddy

Active member
Considering that over 90% of car seats are misused, what is more likly to happen to children that have not had their seats checked by a Child Passenger Safety Technician?

a) Internal Injuries
b) Blunt Force Trama
c) Internal Decapitation
d) Death
e) All the above
 

Maedze

New member
Considering that over 90% of car seats are misused, what is more likly to happen to children that have not had their seats checked by a Child Passenger Safety Technician?

a) Internal Injuries
b) Blunt Force Trama
c) Internal Decapitation
d) Death
e) All the above


Nope, the most likely thing to happen is 'nothing'. MOST kids will not get in accidents. For those who do, MOST will come away unscathed, even if their seats are not correctly installed.

If you use hysteria, you will lose your intended audience.
 

Maedze

New member
What do you recommend if there is no SK in your area?

There are car seat coalitions that aren't Safe Kids....you *personally* could check out the gals in Worcester. They're very nice folk. They're state troopers and run an inspection station every other Wednesday at the WEMS garage in the city.
 

BigDaddy

Active member
Nope, the most likely thing to happen is 'nothing'. MOST kids will not get in accidents. For those who do, MOST will come away unscathed, even if their seats are not correctly installed.

If you use hysteria, you will lose your intended audience.
I guess I should have worded it better. I meant in an accident. I also used "more likely" in comparison to those that are using seats correctly, not what is most likely to happen in an accident. I've reworded it slightly so that it isn't as easy to misunderstand:

Considering that over 90% of car seats are misused; In an accident, what is more likely to happen to children that have not had their seats checked by a Child Passenger Safety Technician compared to those that have?

a) Internal Injuries
b) Blunt Force Trauma
c) Internal Decapitation
d) Death
e) All the above
 
Last edited:
L

LuciaBella

Guest
Thanks for all the replies. That's a good idea to get Safe Kids involved.
I'll talk to Denise Donaldson this weekend when I see her.
 
L

LuciaBella

Guest
If you intend to have an event, I'd get in touch with your local SafeKids/coalition and make it more 'official'. They can bring funds and advertising. Plus, as a general rule, a relatively new technician running an event is a poor idea, unless you have the back up of experienced technicians and senior checkers.

You are telling this to a CPST who got 100% on her tests!! lol...:p
I agree with you. Another set of eyes is always better and there are things I forget to go over especially if its a complicated check (projectiles, unused seatbelts...)
 

Maedze

New member
You are telling this to a CPST who got 100% on her tests!! lol...:p
I agree with you. Another set of eyes is always better and there are things I forget to go over especially if its a complicated check (projectiles, unused seatbelts...)


I got 100% on all the tests, too. That doesn't mean I was ready to fly solo right away :p

The real learning happens at community checks. That's where I got efficient and learned tricks that you aren't going to come across reading c-s.org.

Honestly, I like to see technicians get a good half dozen busy community checks with a lot of assistance before they start doing independent work.

SafeKids, in fact, does not allow an event to be billed as a 'Safe Kids' event unless there are two technicians, and at least one of them is a Senior Checker.
 
L

LuciaBella

Guest
Honestly, I like to see technicians get a good half dozen busy community checks with a lot of assistance before they start doing independent work.

SafeKids, in fact, does not allow an event to be billed as a 'Safe Kids' event unless there are two technicians, and at least one of them is a Senior Checker.

I've done at least 10 super busy checks! We had 78 seats at the Children's event last week! It was insane.
I will ask one of my senior checkers Cesi or Deb.
Thanks!
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,897
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top