WWYD? CPSTs in my area strongly encouraging FF

grumpybear

New member
My 2y.o. son is ERF. He is only 28lb and our carseat goes up to 33lb RF so he is well within the acceptable limits of the seat. Everytime we re-install our carseats (after a trip or I clean the car/seat), I try to have our installations checked.

And EVERY SINGLE TIME, since my son was a year old, the techs pretty much tell me that I can FF him now. Every single time, I tell them that research shows that RF is safer as long as the child is within the carseat limits for RF. Then they counter with how long his legs are, how boring it would be, how much easier it would be to adjust the straps when FF, etc etc.

A few months ago, I wrote an email to the Safekids coordinator in our area regarding this since I've known of at least 2 people who FF their RF toddlers after getting their seat checked. These people have done their research about ERF but after the seatcheck decide to FF their kids because, well, the experts told them so. Unlike me, I don't think they visit car-seat.org (which helped me not succumb to the very strong encouragement to FF). Anyway, the Safekids coordinator assured me that she would address this and educate the CPSTs about the benefits of ERF.

Well, yesterday, I had our seat checked again and in the 15minutes that I was there, I was told at least 4x that I should probably FF my son and it would make things a lot easier for us.

While I understand that the tech was just probably thankful that I actually had my 2y.o. harnessed (carseat compliance is HORRIBLE here in my area) I still don't understand why he kept insisting on turning the seat around especially since I told him repeatedly that research has shown that RF is safer.

Obviously our local Safekids coordinator hasn't done a proper job of educating the local techs because besides the ERF issue, the tech did a very shoddy job of installing the carseat that DH had to reinstall the seat again at home (the seatbelts were twisted and the seat too reclined).

I was also taken aback when after the tech installed the carseat, he turned around to ask me, "Is this ok?", referring to the installation (I'm thinking, "you're the tech! you tell me!"). When I asked him about the twisted seatbelts he said that stuff like that happens and is sometimes unavoidable. Well, a few hours later, DH was able to reinstall it without the twist in the seatbelt with a more solid installation.

SO anyway, if you've read this far, thank you. But what then would you do?
 
ADS

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Honestly, I would stop going back. IMO the goal of a good tech is to teach a parent how to install their seat themselves so that they do not need to continue to go back and have it checked when they move the seat.

From all I have learned it is very very obvious that not all techs push best practice. Heck, not all techs even know what best practice is!!! Obvious the one you are seeing does not.
 

grumpybear

New member
Yes. My husband and I have resolved to not have our seats checked there anymore. Besides, I can always check in here if I have questions and you guys have been more than helpful.
I guess my concern is with the information that they give out to the general public which is not current. I also worry about other families who get their seats checked.
I know... I'm bordering on being a busybody but I live in such a small community too and a lot are really not aware of these safety issues. But I also understand that being a CPST may just be one aspect of their job as they are mostly in emergency services and the police force.
 

scatterbunny

New member
I would try one more time to contact the person you contacted before, detailing your last experience. I'm not sure what else you can do, and I feel your frustration. There are techs around me who do not advocate best practice, either, and I understand it's partially our area, socioeconomics and cultural differences and all of that fun stuff, BUT it's our job to teach the pros and cons of all options, not push CONVENIENCE over SAFETY and try to talk a parent into doing the option that's less safe. :confused:
 

aisraeltax

New member
yk, im not one to talk to strangers about car seats, etc. etc. and i understand that most techs dont want to PUSH ERF'ing on most parents b/c the seats are probably installed incorrectly when most parents get to the check, etc. etc. (thus making the "it will be easier for you FF" argument a bit more palatable)...but heck, these techs are encouraging parents to turn their kids FF'ing when they are voluntarily RF'ing. that just seems so wrong to me...I would write YET ANOTHER letter, emphasizing what you have gone through thus far, what your experience was yet again, etc. etc. Be very specific about time, place, etc. etc.

I just think that at least you will be doing something constructive, yk? Im not sure how the coordination is...and i understand that many techs dont do best practice..but its even worse than that if they are actually encouraging less safe practice when parents with RF'ing kids come in for checks. I don't get that at all.
 

LCMOM

Senior Community Member
I would actually talk to the same person too, but I would do so IN WRITING; there is just something about a letter that makes it more "serious". Explain your experience, remind them of the prior conversation in which they promised to address the issue, and most critically request that they respond to you within a certain time frame, explaining what their plan is and what has already been done, to remedy the situation. I can understand not PUSHING parents, but techs are obligated to at least educate about best practice, and are supposed to be able to ensure a good install, not one that has to be re-done later by the parent to fix it!! IMO, that needs to be addressed. Good for you for speaking up!!
 

tjham

New member
The SafeKids Coalition in the Phoenix area was on the Saturday news show a few months ago and the tech they interviewed the most made a big deal out of saying "Once a child hits one year AND 20 lbs, you turn them forward facing." Not one word about even to the extent of the seat! I was flabbergasted.
 

aisraeltax

New member
The SafeKids Coalition in the Phoenix area was on the Saturday news show a few months ago and the tech they interviewed the most made a big deal out of saying "Once a child hits one year AND 20 lbs, you turn them forward facing." Not one word about even to the extent of the seat! I was flabbergasted.

wow!!!!!!! does Safe Kids advocate that? did they see a video of the news show?
 

NHCPSTECH

Senior Community Member
I'm taking a different spin on this:
While I agree that you should write another letter to the SK Coordinator about your experience, I don't understand why you would keep going back (to anyone)to keep having your seats checked. The purpose of a car seat check is to teach the parent to install the seat for themselves. It's not the goal of any coalition to see the same parents back again and again for the exact same install. I understand having another seat check if you're going from infant to convertible and then rf to ff. (I do totally get that the techs helping you did not do their job)

So in a nutshell...give yourself credit :thumbsup: that you are doing it right, stick around here and don't go to another car seat check unless you are helping out with the actual event!:love:

:twocents:
 

grumpybear

New member
I'm taking a different spin on this:
While I agree that you should write another letter to the SK Coordinator about your experience, I don't understand why you would keep going back (to anyone)to keep having your seats checked. The purpose of a car seat check is to teach the parent to install the seat for themselves. It's not the goal of any coalition to see the same parents back again and again for the exact same install.

2 reasons. One was that there was a slight tilt in the installation and I wanted to know if it was acceptable.
And 2, I wanted to know if there was a better way to install the seat (because the only way we could get it tight was to use a locking clip).
And no, they did not teach me how to install a carseat as the tech did it himself in about 5 minutes.
The two other times I went was for an infant seat and the installation in another vehicle.
And yes definitely, I'm sticking around here. :D
 

henrietta

Well-known member
If writing to the local Safekids coordinator doesn't work, and you want to help educate your community, you could write a letter to the editor of your local paper (non accusatory of Safekids), but briefly detailing ERF w/links to a good website for more info.

Or write an actual article for local publications about up to date carseat safety.

We have a local Parent's newspaper in our area.

hths

henrietta
 

tjham

New member
wow!!!!!!! does Safe Kids advocate that? did they see a video of the news show?

It was their seat-checking event that was visited occasionally during the 2 hr Saturday morning news show.

I wrote a letter and the director just said that I was correct, that the AAP recommended RF to the extent of the seat. She forwarded it to the tech involved and she wrote me back that she didn't think she said that :rolleyes:. I didn't tape it so I have no proof. What-ever...
 

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