Sept. 22, 2025 – Parents, grandparents, and caregivers who drive with children in their vehicles can get their child safety seats checked for proper installation for free this Saturday morning at nine locations across the state, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission announced.
National Seat Check Saturday is a state and national campaign to ensure children are properly restrained in safety seats appropriate for their age and size. A child safety seat is critical for protecting a child in a crash, but it only works if it’s the right seat that’s been properly installed.
“Seat Check Saturday saves lives,” LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said. “It’s that simple. For example, infants who are properly restrained in a seat that is right for them have a 71% reduced risk of being killed in a passenger car crash.”
Last year, 13 children younger than 14 died in Louisiana car crashes, according to statistics from the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU. Only four of those children were properly restrained, the statistics show.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that since 1975, child restraints have saved the lives of 11,606 children under the age of 5.
Another NHTSA study says while most parents and caregivers believe they know how to correctly install their car seats, 46% installed them incorrectly. During Seat Check Saturday, certified child passenger safety technicians will show adults how to properly install a seat and how to ensure the child is properly restrained.
“This is a free, life-saving service, and the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force has strategically set up stations around the state so no one has to drive too far,” Freeman said.
All child safety seat stations are open from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Sept. 27. The locations are:
St. John Parish Sheriff's Office, 1801 Airline Hwy., Laplace, LA 70068
Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, 5656 Hilton Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Mockler Beverage, 3860 Broad St., Lake Charles, LA 70615
Monroe Public Safety Center, 1810 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Monroe, LA 71202
Ochsner LSU Health, St. Mary's Medical Center, 1 St. Mary Place, Shreveport, LA 71101
Warren J Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium, 310 N. Canal Blvd., Thibodaux, LA 70301
Rapides Regional Medical Center, Medical Terrace, 211 Fourth Street, Alexandria, LA 71301
Broussard Walmart, 123 Saint Nazaire, Broussard, LA 70518
Southeastern University, Driving Range Parking Lot, 800 West University Ave, Hammond, LA 70518
Adults attending the Seat Check Saturday event should take the car they use to transport the child, along with the child and the car seat he or she will be in.
Parents and caregivers who cannot attend Seat Check Saturday can get step-by-step instructions or look for the closest technician available in their area by visiting http://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats - installation-help-inspection.
Here are some important child safety seat tips:
Always read the installation instructions. Skipping steps can have serious consequences.
Do not rush your child to the next seat. Keep your child in the back-facing seat until they are old enough and big enough to go to a front-facing seat will provide the maximum protection. The same holds true for moving a child from a front-facing seat to a booster seat and from a booster seat to a seat belt.
Louisiana law mandates that children under 13 remain in the back seat.
Register car seats with the manufacturer so you can be notified in case of a recall.
More information about child safety seats and booster seats is available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats. En Español, https://www.nhtsa.gov/es/seguridad-de-vehiculos/car-seats-y-asientos-elevados-booster-seats.
