Free Seats (OH), Car Seat Checks (OH), and Car Seat Advice

Free Seats, Car Seat Checks, and Car Seat Advice

Question: Can you provide information as to where someone can obtain a free car seat, besides Goodwill Easter Seals?

Answer: Free child safety seat inspections are held monthly at Dayton Children's. Child safety seat inspections are also held at community events in spring through fall months. At a car seat inspection, if a seat is deemed to be unsafe for the child, the seat may be replaced. To make an appointment for a child safety seat inspection, call the Family Resource Center at Dayton Children's at 937-641-3700.

Families in need of a car seat may be referred to Goodwill/Easter Seals Car Seat Safety Program (937-461-4800 ext. 390, or to AAA Miami Valley/Ohio Dept of Health Ohio Buckles Buckeyes program (937-224-2826.) Applicants must be income eligible. An educational class may be required and a small donation may be requested.

Parents of children with special needs or disabilities can also call Goodwill/Easter Seals (937-461-4800. For more information on the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes program, see http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/hprr/cpsafe/cpsafety.aspx. (People have had issues getting Goodwill/Easter Seals to call them back but it doesn't hurt to try since they give out seats for kids from 5-50lb and boosters for kids from 40-100lb)

Other agencies serving families may have used child safety seats. Dayton Children's does not recommend used child safety seats if the crash history is unknown. Child safety seats expire about 6 years from the date of manufacture. It is very important that parents check the child safety seat recall history by going to www.nhtsa.gov. Click on Child Passenger Safety, then click on defects and recalls. Parents can also call Dayton Children's Family Resource Center at 937-641-3700 for recall information on any consumer product made for children.

If you're interested in getting a Car Seat check I have a list of the upcoming ones in this area of Ohio.

Car Seat Safety Check (06-27-2013)

By appointment only!

Is your child riding safely?  Take 30-45 minutes to get your child's car seat safety checked by a certified child passenger safety technician.  Find out if your car seat has been recalled or has expired.  Should your child be forward or rear facing?  Where should your child's car seat be located within the vehicle?  What type of child safety seat is right for your child's height and weight?  When is your child ready for a booster seat?  What is the Ohio car seat law?  Get answers at our monthly car seat check.  Car seat checks at Dayton Children's are by appointment only and are scheduled between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Can't make it during the day?  Ask about our community car seat checks in May and October, 2013 or we can refer you to a certified child passenger safety technician located near your home.  Call the MeadWestvaco Family Resource Center for more information or to schedule an appointment at 937-641-3700. 

When:
Thursday, June 27, 2013 
10:00 am to 2:00 pm by appointment only

Where:
The Children's Medical Center of Dayton
Family Resource Center
1 Children's Plaza
Dayton , OH 45404

Car Seat Safety Check  (07-25-2013)

By appointment only!

Is your child riding safely?  Take 30-45 minutes to get your child's car seat safety checked by a certified child passenger safety technician.  Find out if your car seat has been recalled or has expired.  Should your child be forward or rear facing?  Where should your child's car seat be located within the vehicle?  What type of child safety seat is right for your child's height and weight?  When is your child ready for a booster seat?  What is the Ohio car seat law?  Get answers at our monthly car seat check.  Car seat checks at Dayton Children's are by appointment only and are scheduled between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Can't make it during the day?  Ask about our community car seat checks in May and October, 2013 or we can refer you to a certified child passenger safety technician located near your home.  Call the MeadWestvaco Family Resource Center for more information or to schedule an appointment at 937-641-3700. 

When:
Thursday, June 27, 2013 
10:00 am to 2:00 pm by appointment only

Where:
The Children's Medical Center of Dayton
Family Resource Center
1 Children's Plaza
Dayton , OH 45404

Car Seat Check at Evenflo (08-22-2013)

By appointment only!

Is your child riding safely?  Take 30-45 minutes to get your child's car seat safety checked by a certified child passenger safety technician.  Find out if your car seat has been recalled or has expired.  Should your child be forward or rear facing?  Where should your child's car seat be located within the vehicle?  What type of child safety seat is right for your child's height and weight?  When is your child ready for a booster seat?  What is the Ohio car seat law?  Get answers at our monthly car seat check.  Car seat checks at Dayton Children's are by appointment only and are scheduled between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Can't make it during the day?  Ask about our community car seat checks in May and October, 2013 or we can refer you to a certified child passenger safety technician located near your home.  Call the MeadWestvaco Family Resource Center for more information or to schedule an appointment at 937-641-3700. 

When:

Thursday, June 27, 2013 
10:00 am to 2:00 pm by appointment only

Where:

The Children's Medical Center of Dayton

Family Resource Center

1 Children's Plaza

Dayton , OH 45404

If you'd like to check for other upcoming car seat checks you can look at the calender here.

Car Seat and Booster Advice

You can get expert information from Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) and learned Child Passenger Safety Advocates from the following places:

Find a CPST near you on this site.

Car Seat Safety This is an Open Facebook Group. They have pictures of lots of different kids of different sizes in different seats and boosters. It's likely that if you're wondering what seats will fit in your vehicle(s) that someone might have suggestions. They also have a ton of CPSTs who answer questions. 4 of them service Ohio! If you don't live in Ohio you can still look at the CPST list in their Files section to find some near you.

Car Seats For The Littles This is a Closed Facebook group, meaning that you have to ask to join and then wait for admin approval. Similar to Car Seat Safety. It also has a group CPST list. I'm a member of both. It has albums comparing different seats as well as an extended rearfacing album.

Car-seat.org This is a forum that helped me out A LOT when I was getting started in this area. You can post a question without registering. They also have a ton of CPST  and Child Passenger Safety Advocates. They have a Car Seat Measurements area, very helpful if you want to know all the dimensions of a carseat or booster. They also have an area for questions, car seat chat, coupon codes and deals, carseat swaps, and more.

InshaAllah, I hope to be a CPST with extra Sepcial Needs training one day but it likely won't be soon since there aren't any classes nearby and I can't even drive myself to get to ones that are farther away.

Back to Child Passenger Safety Masterpost