Fort Collins Police Offer Free Car Seat Safety Checks for National Seat Check Saturday
Fort Collins Police will provide free car seat inspections and installation assistance September 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Target parking lot at 105 W. Troutman Parkway as part of National Seat Check Saturday.
Certified technicians will be available to help parents and caregivers determine appropriate car seats for their children's age and weight, demonstrate proper installation techniques, and provide instruction on correct usage. The event will focus on ensuring children have the right restraint system ranging from rear-facing seats for infants to booster seats and seat belts for older children.
The timing of the safety event coincides with significant updates to Colorado's Child Passenger Safety laws taking effect January 1, 2025. The new regulations expand requirements for child restraints and extend seat belt mandates to all children under 18, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Under the updated law, children under 2 years of age and less than 40 pounds must be restrained in rear-facing car seats positioned in the vehicle's rear seat when available. Children aged 2 to under 4 years and over 20 pounds must use forward-facing or rear-facing car seats, while children aged 4 to under 9 years and at least 40 pounds require booster seats or appropriate child restraint systems.
The law changes represent a primary violation, meaning law enforcement can stop and cite drivers solely for improper child restraint. Standard fines for first-time violations are $82 with a $6 surcharge, and courts may order completion of approved child passenger safety classes.
Colorado data indicates over 50 percent of car seats are not used or installed correctly statewide, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. In Larimer County, observational studies found 81.1 percent proper usage of child restraints for children ages newborn to 4 years, while juvenile seat belt usage for all children under 18 reached 98.2 percent.
The Fort Collins Police Department partners with UCHealth and Car Seats Colorado to provide free car seat safety checks by appointment throughout the year at various community locations including UCHealth clinics and police facilities. Residents can schedule inspections by calling UCHealth Injury Prevention at 970-495-7502.
Similar programs operate across Northern Colorado, with Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, Weld County Department of Public Health, and Windsor-Severance Fire Rescue offering free inspections in partnership with local health agencies and the statewide Car Seats Colorado program.
The Car Seats Colorado initiative, coordinated by the Colorado Department of Transportation, maintains certified child passenger safety technicians at multiple inspection stations throughout Larimer and Weld counties. All inspection stations provide year-round services to ensure proper car seat installation and usage according to manufacturer specifications and current safety standards.