Before You Try, Verify: Baby Safety Alliance® Urges Families to Check Their S.E.A.T.

Before You Try, Verify: Baby Safety Alliance® Urges Families to Check Their S.E.A.T.

A four-step checklist and expert inspections help parents tell what's proven from what's trending

With viral car seat “hacks,” noncompliant dupes, and risky shortcuts spreading online, ahead of Child Passenger Safety Week (September 20–26), the Baby Safety Alliance® urges caregivers to verify advice before following it.

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Car seat inspections show that over half of all car seats are installed or used incorrectly. Small mistakes can compromise a seat’s protective functions when it matters most. During Child Passenger Safety Week, September 20-26, 2026, the Baby Safety Alliance® encourages families to check their S.E.A.T.

It's the car seat edition of the Alliance's 2026 Baby Safety Month® campaign, “Before You Try, Verify.” As families access safety guidance from more digital channels than ever, the Alliance encourages caregivers to ask a critical question: Who is behind this advice? Verified means information rooted in manufacturer instructions and credentialed expertise, peer-reviewed research, and certified safety professionals — not just the latest viral trend.

The gap shows up on the road. In 2024, 795 children under 13 died in crashes, with 30% of those victims unrestrained. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirms that nearly half of all child restraints are installed or used incorrectly. Car seats reduce fatal injury risk by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.

“A car seat protects a child best when it's the right seat, installed correctly, and adjusted correctly,” says Joe Colella, Director of Child Passenger Safety for the Baby Safety Alliance and a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor (CPSTI). “State laws and the laws of physics are not the same. Crash dynamics do not change when you cross a state line.”

Check your S.E.A.T.:

S — Select the right seat for your child's height, weight, and age, and stay there as long as possible.

E — Ensure proper attachment: check for less than an inch of movement at the belt path.

A — Adjust the harness flat and snug, placed at or below the shoulders rear-facing, and at or above for forward-facing.

T — Technical Help: contact the manufacturer or get hands-on help from a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST).

The Alliance and NHTSA will co-host a free, in-person car seat inspection and educational event in Washington, D.C., on September 19. Families nationwide can find certified technicians and verified safety resources at BabySafetyMonth.org.

About Baby Safety Month

Baby Safety Month is an annual national consumer campaign led by the Baby Safety Alliance. Each September since 1983, the Alliance, its member companies, partner organizations, and hundreds of Ambassadors have been helping families choose and use baby products safely.

About Baby Safety Alliance

The Baby Safety Alliance is the trusted voice for baby and children’s product safety across North America. Formerly known as the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA), the Alliance advances safety through advocacy, education, product testing, and philanthropy. Its Verification Program independently tests thousands of products annually across 30+ categories to ensure they meet the highest functionality, performance, and safety standards. The Alliance also offers free consumer education for parents and caregivers through Baby Safety University and supports families through the Baby Safety Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity.

Media Contact(s):
Michelle Hayes
Baby Safety Alliance
mhayes@babysafetyalliance.org
(850) 865-7622

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