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Car Seat Clinics
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
- Every day in 2024, on average, two children under 14 were killed and 349 were injured in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles.
- A total of 677 children were killed in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles in 2024, and over 127,000 were injured.
- In 2024, 39% of children (14 and younger) who died while riding in passenger vehicles were unrestrained.
- Over the 5-year period from 2020-2024, there were 1,828 “tweens” (8 to 14 years old) killed in passenger vehicles.
- In 2024 alone, the 8- to 12-year-old age group had the highest number of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities (193) among children in traffic crashes. This age group is often found to be using the wrong type of restraint for their age and size. Moving a child passenger into a booster seat or adult seat belt before they are the right age and size can increase the risk of injury and death.
- In 2024, almost half (45%) of the children killed while riding in light pickup trucks were unrestrained, followed by SUVs (42%), passenger cars (38%), and vans (21%). Children are safest when secured in the proper car seats or booster seats for their ages and sizes, regardless of the vehicle type.
Information about car seat safety can feel overwhelming. The LOPD and NHTSA want parents and caregivers to know that certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians are available to help them determine the right seats for their children and demonstrate how to correctly install and use those seats.
The Lake Oswego Police Department's next car seat clinic will be held on Saturday September 26th, 2026, from 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M., at the Lake Oswego Main Fire Station, 300 B Avenue, Lake Oswego.
Sign up here:
NHTSA research shows that car seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants (under 1 year old) and by 54% for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) in passenger cars. Even experienced parents can get car seats wrong, and the results can be devastating.
According to NHTSA, more than a third (39%) of children 14 and younger who died in crashes in 2022 in cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs were unbuckled. It’s never safe to ride unbuckled in a passenger vehicle — no matter how short the trip or how big the vehicle. More than half (52%) of the child passengers 14 and younger killed in pickup trucks in 2022 were unrestrained — more than any other vehicle category. Bigger vehicles don’t protect child passengers, but car seats, booster seats, and seat belts do.
Whether it’s a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat installed with a tether, a booster seat, or a seat belt, a Child Passenger Safety Technician can put parents’ minds at ease by confirming which seat is correct for their children and showing them how to correctly install it in their vehicle. Children should stay in each seat until they outgrow those limits, and it’s important for all children under 13 to ride in the back seat.
The Lake Oswego Police Department normally has car seat technicians available every day of the week. To make an appointment with a technician please call the LOPD non-emergency line at 503-635-0238.
If you aren't sure what you need or want to ensure you have selected the right seat, you can learn about the different car seat types and read NHTSA’s research-based recommendations. You can also download NHTSA’s SaferCar app, which allows users to save vehicle, car seat, and tire info in a virtual garage. If any of the saved equipment is included in a safety recall, the app will send a notification.
