Jul 25, 2025 / Parenting, Safety & Prevention
By Abby Pham / Willow Creek

Buckle Up Safely: A Parent’s Guide to Car Seat Safety in Utah

As parents, there’s nothing more important than protecting your little ones—especially when you’re on the road.  In Utah, car crashes remain a leading cause of injury and death among children, but properly using a car seat and seat belts significantly reduces those risks.

Unfortunately, many car seats are used or installed incorrectly, which can seriously limit their ability to protect your child.  Let’s take a closer look at why car seat safety matters and how you can keep your child as safe as possible through every stage of growth.

Why Car Seat Safety Matters

Car seats, when used correctly, can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers.  Despite a high usage rate of safety restraints in Utah, studies show that about 60% of car seats are installed incorrectly – and approximately one-third of people killed in car crashes over a five-year period were not wearing a seat belt at all.

The Four Stages of Car Seat Safety

Keeping your child safe means using the right seat at the right time.  Here’s a breakdown of the four key stages:

  1. Rear-Facing Car Seats
    Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible. At minimum, this means until age 2 and 30 pounds, but it’s recommended to keep them rear-facing longer until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.  Most car seats allow rear-facing well beyond 2 years.  This position offers the best protection for your child in a crash as the car seat absorbs the impact forces by cradling your child’s body and protecting their developing head, neck, and spine.

  2. Forward-Facing Car Seats
    Once your child outgrows the rear-facing seat, they should move to a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness and tether. Always use the top tether as it helps reduce head movement in a crash.  Just because a child could move to a booster seat as early as 4 years and 40 pounds, does not mean they should.   It’s safest to keep using a forward-facing seat until your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit set by the manufacturer.

  3. Booster Seats
    After outgrowing the forward-facing seat, your child will need a booster seat to help lift them up to ensure that the seat belt fits properly. This reduces the risk of serious internal injuries in a crash since seat belts are made for adults.  A proper fit means the shoulder belt should come across the middle of the chest and shoulder.  The lap belt should sit low on the hips and upper thighs – never across the stomach.  The Center for Disease Control recommends booster seats for children under 8 years old or shorter than 57 inches.

  4. Seat Belts
    Children can transition to using the vehicle’s seat belt alone when it fits them correctly—typically at least 4’9” tall (57 inches), which is around 8-12 years old. The lap belt should lie snugly across the upper thighs (never the stomach), and the shoulder belt should cross the chest and shoulder (not the neck or face).

Lastly, Utah state law requires any child who is under eight years old to use a child restraint device.  Children must ride in a car seat or booster seat until the age of 8 or until they reach a height of 4’9” tall (57 inches).

 

Source: clickit.utah.gov/car-seats-seat-belts/children

 

Need Help? Get a Free Car Seat Check

With so many different car seat models and vehicle types, installation can be tricky.   That’s why scheduling a free check with a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician can be helpful.  These professionals are trained to make sure your car seat is properly installed and used.

Here are a few trusted resources for Utah families:

  • Wasatch Pediatrics | Willow Creek: Free car seat checks at our Willow Creek location by certified CPS Technician, Cassaundra Richey, RN.  (801) 942-1800.
  • Click It Utah: Find a certified inspection station near you – clickit.utah.gov
  • Safe Kids Utah (by Utah Department of Health & Human Services): Free in-person and virtual car seat checks in multiple counties –  safekids.org
  • Intermountain Children’s Health:  On-site and virtual appointments available.  801-662-6583 | intermountainhealthcare.org

Final Thoughts

Ensuring your child’s safety on the road involves more than just using a car seat—it requires using the right seat correctly at every stage of their development. Don’t hesitate to get help from certified experts or your pediatric provider.  Their guidance can give peace of mind and help you make sure your child is protected every time you hit the road.

 

Resources

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/national-car-seat-check-saturday-2024

Click It Utah – https://clickit.utah.gov/

Utah Department of Transportation – https://www.udot.utah.gov/shsp/safetyrestraints.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Utah Department of Public Safety – https://dps.utah.gov/news/



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