Today’s post, about reasons to get your car seat checked by a technician, is brought to you in collaboration with Safety 1st. All opinions are my own.

In August, the kids and I had a chance to attend The Air Protect Tour with Dorel Juvenile and Safety 1st as part National Night Out in Agawam. The tour included a lot of fun activities and education for parents about car seat safety.

The highlight of the event for the kids was getting to sit in this gigantic car seat.

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The highlight of the event for me was getting a car seat check from car seat technician! Spoiler alert… one of our car seats didn’t pass and we had no idea that it was expired! The event had me thinking… I had never gone to a car seat check before this one. There are a lot of benefits to attending one and I wish I would have done it sooner!

9 Reasons To Get Your Car Seat Checked By A Certified Technician

Tips for new moms... get your car seat checked by a certified car seat tech!

They’re certified. Certified car seat technicians have taken courses and passed tests in order to receive their certification. They’ve invested tons of hours in learning all about the proper way to install a car seat and buckle a child in safely. In all, they spend about 40 hours learning the ins and outs of car seat safety and practice installing/checking just about every kind of car seat you can imagine.

Car seats are not always easy to install properly. Think about it…. your car has a lot of ways it can be customized. There are seat belts, places for a latch system and seats that recline. Car seat technicians have been trained to properly install car seats with top safety in mind.

They’re knowledgeable about best practices. We had Lola’s car seat attached with the latch system. But as it turns out, that method wasn’t recommended for the seat she was in and the position she was in. I had no idea her seat wasn’t installed in the safest way possible.

They’re up to date with recall information. Car seats get recalled from time to time. A car seat tech will have a list of the makes and models of recalled seats and check it against the car seat you’ve got.

They don’t give up until it’s right. It can take a lot of tweaking to get the angle and positioning of a car seat. You might say “good enough” but a technician will remain steadfast until they’re sure it’s installed just right.

Peace of mind. Knowing that your car seat is installed properly will give you peace of mind. Parenting comes with a lot of things to be worried about, don’t let your car seat be one of them.

You’ll learn something. Pay attention while the car seat technician is checking and reinstalling your car seats. You’ll learn something about the fit or positioning of your seat.

Harness position matters too. In addition to installing your car seat, the technician will also show you how to best position the harnesses.

Your child might see emergency personnel in a non-emergency situation. Many firemen, policemen and other emergency personnel are also certified technicians. I am all for letting my kids see these community workers as much as possible. That way, if there is an emergency they hopefully won’t be so scared.

Wondering where to find these technicians? Here is a great resource where  you can search by zip code.

Connect with Safety 1st: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest 

Giveaway! 10/3/16 – 10/7/16 

I’ve partnered with Safety 1st and am pleased to be able to giveaway $250.00 in their product!

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To enter: Head to my Twitter account and retweet this tweet! One winner will be chosen from those who retweet. 

Tiny House Sweepstakes! 

The Tiny House movement is sweeping the nation! At Safety 1st we’re here to help you keep your family safe, in any size home. We’re excited to give you and your family the chance to win a tiny house of your own, outfitted with the very best safety products we offer.

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For over 30 years, Safety 1st has consistently delivered innovative products to keep your family safe while at home or traveling. From stairway gates to car seats, their product engineers have given parents the power to keep generation after generation of kids safer. Innovation comes naturally to Safety 1st and they absolutely love the creative design of these tiny houses and marvel at the sense of freedom the mobile versions offer to families. A tiny home is also a great place for their new Outsmart™ line of locks and latches – the smartest way to protect your kids from dangers in the home while giving you the peace of mind you need to allow them to discover the world around them.

The Tiny House Giveaway began on 6/15/16 and ends on 5/1/17. The Sweepstakes consists of twelve (12) monthly prize drawings, one (1) Second Prize drawing, one (1) Third Prize drawing, and one (1) Grand Prize drawing.

To learn more the Tiny House Giveaway and to enter, head here to their online entry form. 

You might also like: SAFETY 1ST ULTRAMAX AIR 360 4 IN 1 CAR SEAT REVIEW

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What are some other reasons to have your car seat installed by a certified technician?