The S.C. Department of Public Health is holding free car seat inspection events Sept. 20-26 after finding most seats checked in the state were installed incorrectly.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health is observing Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 20-26, with a series of free car seat check events across the state, according to DPH.
Parents and caregivers can meet with certified Child Passenger Safety technicians at the events to make sure car seats are installed correctly and match a child’s age and size, DPH said.
More than 60% of car seats inspected by technicians in South Carolina in 2025 were improperly installed or used, according to the National Digital Car Seat Check Form database cited by DPH. The department also said parents often move children out of car seats before it is safe to do so.
“Proper car seats and boosters make all the difference in a crash,” said Kevin Poore, director of Safe Kids South Carolina. “Child Passenger Safety Week is a reminder for families to ensure their children are buckled correctly every time they are in the car.”
DPH technicians and partner organizations hold more than 40 seat check events each year, inspecting hundreds of car seats, according to the department. A list of events is available at dph.sc.gov/carseats.
Correctly used car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers, DPH said, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Booster seats reduce the risk of nonfatal injuries by 45% for children ages four to eight compared with seat belts alone, the department said.
DPH noted that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States and urged all passengers and drivers to wear seat belts.
Free car seat checks are available throughout the year by appointment, in person or virtually, through DPH’s Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations webpage.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Public Health.
