Public Health and Environment Division
Car Seat Safety
Broomfield Health and Human Services is committed to providing services to the children and families of Broomfield by providing free inspections to ensure proper installation of child safety seats.
Broomfield Fitting Station
The Fitting Station is available Every Thursday
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Health and Human Services Department
6 Garden Center
720.887.2295
No appointment necessary!
A Certified Car Seat Safety Technician is available to check car seats for proper installation and to answer questions about child passenger safety.
KEEP THEM SAFE: Car crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages three to 33. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that passengers under the age of 18 in the vehicle are properly buckled up in the appropriate restraints on every trip.
CLICK IT OR TICKET: Under Colorado’s Child Passenger Safety law, infants and children must be properly buckled up when riding in motor vehicles. A driver can be ticketed and fined a minimum of $82 for each unrestrained or improperly restrained child in the vehicle.
BACK SEAT IS BEST: All children under age 13 should ride in the back seat and must be correctly restrained using the appropriate restraint system. When using a safety seat, ensure that the restraint system is labeled that it meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 213. (Section 49 C.F.R. 571.213), and is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
SIZE MATTERS MOST: Safety restraint systems are developed to protect an individual based on their size, not their age. Rely on matching your child’s weight and height to determine the appropriate seat restraint, even if their age meets the minimum criteria for the next safety system. Don’t let others make you feel pressured into a new system that could compromise your child’s safety. When installing a safety seat, refer to the child restraint system manual, seat labels and your vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine correct installation and use.
The Colorado Child Passenger Safety Law Changed Effective August 1, 2010
Colorado Law requires that all children under age 16 be buckled up with appropriate car seats, booster seats, or vehicle seatbelts in the front and back seats.
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Babies under 1 year old and less than 20 pounds must ride in a rear-facing car seat and only in the back seat of the vehicle.
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Once babies turn 1 year old and weigh at least 20 pounds, the law gives them the option of using a front-facing car seat.
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Rear-facing car seats are still allowed by law, and safety experts recommend that parents continue using them to the upper weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer because it provides the most protection.
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Children ages 4, 5, 6 and 7 must continue to be protected in a child safety restraint. For most kids in this age group that means a booster seat, but experts recommend that children remain in a forward-facing car seat with five-point harness system longer if the upper weight limit of the seat allows it (usually 40-50 pounds).
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When a child turns 8, the law allows them to use a vehicle seat belt.
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But for the best protection, safety experts recommend that kids continue to use a booster seat until they are at least 4’9” tall, which half of children will not reach until they are 11 years old.
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The minimum fine is $82 per violation. All child passenger safety violations are primary enforcement. There is a one-year education period for booster seat violations only.
For more information on car seat safety, please click the following link to visit the Colorado Department of Transportation's car seat website at www.carseatscolorado.com.
