Check your car seat install in Paraparaumu

One thing that makes me so happy, is being able to help reassure parents by installing their car seat for them. 

We've certainly seen some scary things here at Baby Box. Like tether straps left limp and loose because parents didn't know what to do with them, or in one case a tether strap tied around the head rest!

How many car seats are installed incorrectly?

Recently, I was watching the news and there was a feature on the good work Cheeks in Seats do, particularly their recent checking day in Porirua. You can see this here: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/its-life-death-staggering-number-kiwi-children-not-properly-strapped-into-cars

What really scares me about this is they reckon about 80% of seats are installed incorrectly. This is serious because it literally is something that can save your child’s life.

What are the most common mistakes?

The most common problems for car seats installs and fits that we see here at Baby Box include: 

• Parents not using the tether strap to anchor the seat into the car,
• The anchor bolt being in the wrong place (you want it directly behind if possible),
• Chest clips (if there is one) not being done up at the armpits,
• Children in the wrong size of seat for them,
• Locking clips being put on the side nearest the door of the car, instead of close to the belt buckle,
• The seat being secured in an inventive way and not according to the directions from the manufacturer. For example, seats being braced against the front seat when they should be just touching.

How can we help?

At Baby Box we have registered Child Restraint Technicians who are always happy to look over your car seat to tell you whether it needs a fix or not. This service is very reasonably priced.

How much does it cost to have your car seat installed by a Child Restraint Technician?

We offer free installs on car seats bought or hired from us.

We charge a small fee to install or check seats that are not bought or hired through us. This cost covers our insurance, and staff time away from the shop floor.

If you can't afford this, there are a number of great charities around with a focus on car seat safety and education, and free events you can attend to have your seat checked. Cheeks in Seats, and Plunket, for instance, often can help with this!

To find out more about our services, or to book an install now, click this link.