Free car seat checkups kick off Child Passenger Safety Week

CAMANO ISLAND — Safe Kids Snohomish County offers a free car seat checkup event Friday, a kickoff to Child Passenger Safety Week.

Have your car seat or booster seat inspected by an expert between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Camano Fire Station 3, 525 E North Camano Drive. Inspections are by appointment only; call 425-551-1254 or email sguzman@firedistrict1.org to sign up. A limited amount of free seats will be available.

A similar car seat checkup event is set for 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at Fire District 1’s Mariner Fire Station 11, in south Everett.

Participants can learn how to install their child’s seat — or find out if it’s time for a change. Bring both your car seat manual and vehicle owner’s manual to your appointment.

Child Passenger Safety Week is Sept. 17-23. An estimated eight out of 10 car seats are installed incorrectly, according to Safe Kids.

Washington’s child restraint law requires children be in a car or booster seat until they are 8 years old, or 4 feet, 9 inches or taller. Most kids are in a car or booster seat until 10-12 years old. Under the law, the seat a child is in must fit them properly.

While there’s a special emphasis on car seat checks this coming week, inspections are available across Snohomish County throughout the year.

Snohomish County has more than two dozen technicians trained to inspect car seats at eight locations:

Cascade Valley Hospital, 360-618-7967

Edmonds Family Medicine, 425-775-9474

Everett Police, 425-583-8171

Fire District 1, 425-551-1254

Lake Stevens Fire, 425-212-3062

Lake Stevens Police, 425-334-9537

Lynnwood Police, 425-670-5710

Monroe Police, 360-794-6300

Snohomish County Sheriff, 425-388-3817

Fire District 1 and Lynnwood Police offer seat checks weekly. Other locations are by appointment only.