Carseat check problem! Techs Horrible!

**Copied and pasted from my other carseat board**
Ok, seriously....this is not my week for good carseat stories. So, I went to my carseat check(that I posted about)...just to see what they would say, plus we were switching Michael's regent over to belt instead of latch.

First, the tech's kepts saying, "WOW! Amazing installs! That is great!'(Ok, so I am thinking great). Then, my one son who is rear facing...(3 years old, 28 pounds, 13.5 inch torso)....he says right away.... OH YOU can't rear face him though! He is over the 22 pound limit for this seat! I said this seat is 33 pounds check the manual and sticker(had the manuals with me).

He said, "I don't recommend rear facing for kids over 20 pounds and 1 year old because their fit "HIT" the back of the seat!

I was poe'd! He is telling me he won't reinstall it back RF because it isn't safe for him ...Anyways... I give him and extended harness/rear facing handout and he is amazed, but does NOT like that kids over 1 year and 20 pound rear face, he says, "They are going to break their legs"!

Well.....he installed my one seat back RF(the scenera) for my daycare kiddo(didn't tell him it was for a 2-year old ).....but he refused to let me leave with him RF(so I said fine turn it FF, but I am going to turn it back RF when I get home(2 minute drive).

So, in the end they thought it was crazy to have my 3 year old rear facing, but liked the extended harnessign idea.

They were telling mom's to turn their kid FF at 1 year AND 20 pound and then booster at 3 and 30 pounds! NOT liking that!

In the end I found out their is a carseat tech class open to the public in March(I am going to see if I can make it, if not I will try again next one)....they gave me the number and said I should be a tech!

So......I did see the one lady(I am so sorry I forgot your name) who was going to go...I didn't get to say hi(as I was arguing with the tech)..but WAY TO GO on putting your daughter back in a harness and getting your younger one a BLVD! :) But...please don't let them wear their winter coats in the seats.



So...not too happy! THey were not educated!
They also had a babies r us person there showing parents the next steps in seat. She tried telling me my 3 year old, 28 pound son should be fine in a LOW BACK BOOSTER!
 
ADS
I wonder if the techs work for child restraint retailers and tell people that 20lb and 30lb thing to get them to buy more child restraints, and therefore giving the business more income?
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
If those techs were actually certified by safekids, then it would be well within reason to report the one who wouldn't let your ds leave rf'ing because of his age. A tech cannot tell a parent how they can and cannot leave - what if you crashed on that 2 minute drive home.

A tech's job is to educate and let the parents make the final decision. We can strongly recommend things, but we can't tell a parent that they aren't allowed to leave until they do things our way.

Not to mention that he is discouraging best practice & telling people that best practice is unsafe & unnecessary.

I'd definitely check his credentials and report him if he is certified.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
He definately does not keep up to date on info. He is giving info that goes against the Best practice way of teaching that SK encourages :(. I would recommend he sit in on a new class or read the new training manual :twocents:.
 
That's what I find strange, the Techs in the US have to do the course every 2 years, here we do it every year (some times I do it more often) and each time I do it i've learnt something new. Our course is only 6 hours long too (I would love for it to be as involved as the US).


Sadly these "bad techs" put in a bad word for the community - word of mouth will push other parents from getting their seats checked and sadly some techs only do it becase 1. they get paid for it, 2. they have to for their job.
Me - I do it for passion.
 

HEVY

New member
When you said he liked the extended harness idea what did you mean? That he liked that a child should be in a 5-point harness forward facing longer? If yes I would think as a CPS he would already know that. I don't understand why people think it's OK to put a child in a booster knowing there are seats with extended harness from 65-80lbs. Do they think those seats are made for realllly fat children under 3?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
If those techs were actually certified by safekids, then it would be well within reason to report the one who wouldn't let your ds leave rf'ing because of his age. A tech cannot tell a parent how they can and cannot leave - what if you crashed on that 2 minute drive home.

I completely agree. SafeKids will have the paperwork from that check, you can give them a call and either get his name or report him. I'm not sure how it works.

During the check for my class one of the instructors worked with a car while I was off with another. When they left I looked in and was shocked. They had a little one forward facing. When I asked what was up she said that the parents were absolutely insistent that their 11 month old stay forward facing. Idiots. However, though the instructor argued with them and pleaded, in the end she made sure they knew how to install the seat to the best of their ability. They left with a forward facing 11 month old. Sigh.

Wendy
 

Stretchy Glue

New member
That's what I find strange, the Techs in the US have to do the course every 2 years, here we do it every year (some times I do it more often) and each time I do it i've learnt something new. Our course is only 6 hours long too (I would love for it to be as involved as the US).


Sadly these "bad techs" put in a bad word for the community - word of mouth will push other parents from getting their seats checked and sadly some techs only do it becase 1. they get paid for it, 2. they have to for their job.
Me - I do it for passion.

We don't have to take the class every two years, but we are required to get 6 Continuing Education Units every two years, which can be satisfied by a class, meetings, seminars, etc. (I know there is more). I took a 6 hour class which was a really good refresher but there are other ways. I do agree that you should learn something from it or it is worthless, what ever CEU method you choose.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
We don't have to take the class every two years, but we are required to get 6 Continuing Education Units every two years, which can be satisfied by a class, meetings, seminars, etc. (I know there is more). I took a 6 hour class which was a really good refresher but there are other ways. I do agree that you should learn something from it or it is worthless, what ever CEU method you choose.

:yeahthat:

recertification info
6 CEU's, 1 commumity event, and 5 seats signed off on.

Some CEU's are very easy to get. YOu might just have to subscribe to Safe Ride News or read aricles and tak a quiz. I have all my CEU's ans checks signed off on. I willl have my community event soon. I am also going to Lifesavers. that is more CEU's.

You used to have to take a test every 2 years to recert.
 

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