TxDOT offering free car seat inspections for child passenger safety week
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Nearly half of child car seats nationwide are misused or the wrong size for the child using them. The Texas Department of Transportation offered free car seat safety checks to help drivers protect young children.
Free Texas car seat inspections
What we know:
TxDOT is offering free car seat safety checks and hands-on instructions to parents and caregivers across Texas during Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs Sept. 20–26.
Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for children. In Texas in 2025, 69 children younger than 13 were killed and 583 were seriously injured in traffic crashes, according to TxDOT.
Car seat installation mistakes to avoid
Common car seat mistakes include:
- Choosing the wrong seat for a child’s age or size.
- Placing harness straps through the wrong slots.
- Positioning the chest clip incorrectly.
- Leaving the harness or car seat too loose.
- Using the wrong seat belt path.
Texas car seat laws, height requirements, and fines
What they're saying:
"Children are our most precious cargo. Parents will do anything to protect their little ones, and we’re helping them be sure their kids are buckled in safe when they’re infants and as they grow," said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams.
Texas law requires children younger than 8 to ride in a child car seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet, 9 inches. Drivers can face fines of up to $250 if a child is not properly secured.
(Photo by Dayna Smith/for the Washington Post)
Data shows Texas children ride improperly restrained
By the numbers:
A 2025 Texas A&M Transportation Institute survey of child restraint use in 14 Texas cities found that 89.2% of the 13,107 children observed were restrained in some manner. However, 20.1% were improperly restrained, including children in incorrectly installed car seats or improperly used seat belts.
Another 10.8% were unrestrained as a whole.
How to schedule a free car seat check
What's next:
Parents and caregivers can schedule a free car seat safety check with a certified safety specialist through LoveMyCarSeat.org.
The program is part of TxDOT’s "Drive Like a Texan: Kind. Courteous. Safe." initiative, which encourages drivers to make responsible choices to protect others on Texas roads.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by TxDOT and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.