Waste » Residential » Personal Care Product » Car Seat
Can you reuse or donate your Car Seat?
In is not recommended to purchase or use a used car seat unless you know the history of the equipment. Dispose of unusable car seats with regular household trash.
When your family has outgrown the use of your car seat, use Consumer Report's interactive decision tree to help you determine if you should reuse, donate, or dispose of your car seat.
Providence Health & Services offers free child car seat safety checks and recycling events. Check their website for dates and time.
Kootenai Health offers free car seat safety inspections by appointment on various Thursdays. Call Kootenai Health at (208) 625-4642.
Baby Earth Renew offers a mail in program. You pay for the shipping they do the rest.
Providence Health Services sponsors child car seat safety checks and recycling events. Is your car seat installed correctly? Is it the proper size for your child? Has it been recalled? Bring your child and car seat. Certified safety technicians will check your car seat, help you understand passenger safety laws, show you how to choose the right car seat and give you handy car seat safety tips ... all for free! Or Recycle your old seat! Bring in your old seat, and they'll be happy to recycle it for you, too.
Kootenai Health is the lead agency of Safe Kids Kootenai County. Kootenai Health offers free car seat safety inspections by appointment on various Thursdays. Call 208-625- 4642. Car seat inspections are free. A limited number of car seats are available for qualifying families on a donation basis.
Child Passenger Safety - 4 Basic Steps
A Safe Kids Spokane reminder: All car seats and booster seats must be used correctly according to the car seat AND vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.Did you know Washington State has two occupant protection laws? Know and follow these guidelines, or you could risk a ticket of $124!
The Child Restraint Law:
Children under 13 years old must travel in the back seat when practical.
- All car seats and booster seats must be used correctly according to the car seat AND vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.
- Children who are under 8 years of age or under 4' 9" are required to remain in a child restraint. When your child reaches 4' 9" they may try the adult safety belt.
- If it does not fit correctly they must remain in a child restraint.
The Seat Belt Law:
All vehicle occupants must be properly restrained in all seating positions.
- The driver is responsible for properly securing all children under the age of 16.
- Passengers 16 years of age and older are responsible for themselves. They may receive their own citation if they are not properly restrained.
- Buckling one seat belt around two people or placing the seat belt under the arm or behind the back is dangerous, can cause death or serious injury, and is a violation of the law.
Follow these tips:
Rear-Facing Seats: Always buckle children in the back seat. Toddlers are five times safer riding rearfacing than forward-facing into their second year of life. Put harnesses through the slots so they are even with or below the child's shoulders.
Forward-Facing Seats: When children outgrow their rear-facing seat they can move into a forward-facing seat, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat. Put harnesses through the slots so they are even with or above the child’s shoulders.
Booster Seats: When children outgrow their forward-facing seat they can move into a booster seat, in the back seat, until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. Booster seats MUST always be used with a lap and shoulder belt.
Seat Belts: When a child reaches age 8 or 4'9 they may be able to use the car’s seat belt system. Take this 5-step quiz to see if your child is ready for a seat belt:
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the lap belt stay on the top part of the thighs?
- Is the shoulder belt centered on the chest and shoulder?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
- Find more car seat safety info at safekids.org.
