Proper
Child Safety Seat Use
Children under 12 are safest when properly
restrained in the back seat of a vehicle. No child should
ever be placed rear facing if there is an airbag.
Stage 1:
Infants up to one year of age and under 20 pounds should ride
in a rear-facing infant seat in the back seat of a vehicle.
Harness straps should be at, or below, shoulder level.
Stage 2:
Infants and children under 1 year of age and less than 30
– 35 pounds should ride in a rear-facing convertible
seat. (Seat labels will tell you exact weight.)
It is recommended for optimal protection however, that children
remain rear-facing past their first birthday as long as the
weight guidelines of the seat are followed and the child’s
head is at least one inch below the top of the seat back.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your child
rear-facing until they are 15 – 18 months old.
Harness straps should be at, or below, shoulder level.
Stage 3:
Children over one year of age should remain in forward facing
convertible seats or combination seats until they reach 40
pounds (around the age of 4) or reach the height limit of
their seat. Some Britax models allow harness use until the
child reaches 60 pounds.
Harness straps should be at, or above, shoulder level.
Stage 4: New York State Law:
- All Children age 6 and under must be in a CSS or booster
seat unless:
- Over 100 lbs
- Over 4’9” tall (57”)
- Over 40 lbs and forced to sit in a seating position that
does not have a shoulder belt. (Center position in many
back seats when the outboard seats are already occupied.)
Booster seats should NOT be used with a lap belt only. The
child should be moved to a seating position that has a shoulder
belt, where a booster seat can be used. If no shoulder belt
positions are available, the child over 40 lbs should be buckled
with the lap belt and no booster seat should be used.
No child should ever be rear facing in front of an airbag.
All children age 7 – 15 must wear a seat belt. (Ticket
goes to the driver)
All occupants in front seat must wear a seat belt.
NHSTA recommends that all children age 12 and under ride
in the back seat. This is NOT a law.
MORE INFORMATION ON CHILD
PASSENGER SAFETY SEATS
The Colonie Police Department is now a certified* Car Seat
Fitting Station and offers free safety inspections.
Child safety seat inspections are conducted by the Colonie
Police Department by appointment only and
for people who live or work in Colonie.
You can also visit the New York State Traffic Safety Committee
web site at www.safeny.com
for a listing of certified car seat fitting stations in
the capital region.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please
call the Colonie Police Department Community Services Unit
at 782-2662.
Don’t live or
work in Colonie? Try these local certified fitting stations:
Albany County
Albany County Department of Public Works
449 New Salem Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186
Monday thru Friday - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Bill Van Alstyne at (518) 765-2565
wvanalstyne@albanycounty.com
Albany Police Department, Traffic Safety
Public Safety Building, 165 Henry Johnson Blvd., Albany,
NY 12206
Monday thru Friday - 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Sgt. Fred Aliberti at (518) 447-8763
faliberti@albany-ny.org
Bethlehem Police Department
Delmar Fire Department, 145 Adams Street, Delmar, NY 12054
Second Tuesday of month - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Thomas M. Hefferman at (518) 439-9973
thefferman@townofbethlehem.org
New York State Police - Troop G
504 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211
Appointment required
Contact: Trooper Maureen Tuffey at (518) 783-3211
AAA Hudson Valley
618 Delaware Avenue, Albany, NY 12209
Tuesday or Wednesday - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Laurie Prividera at (518) 426-1000 ext. 2619
lprividera@aaahv.aaa.com
Goldstein Chrysler Plymouth Jeep
613 Loudonville Road, Latham, NY 12110
Appointment required
Contact: (518) 785-4156
Rensselaer County
City of Troy Police Department
55 State Street, Troy, NY 12180
Second Saturday of month - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Chris Myers at (518) 270-5705 or (518) 857-8356
Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department
4000 Main Street, Troy, NY 12180
Monday thru Friday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Deputy Edmund C. Miller at (518) 270-5448 ext.
427
Saratoga County
Capital Region SAFE KIDS
150 Kayaderosseras Drive, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Appointment required
Contact: Cindy Dort at (518) 885-1802
Mechanicville Police Department
4 Independence Drive, Mechanicville, NY 12118
3rd Saturday of month - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Patrolman Christopher Toleman at (518) 664-0885
Schenectady County
Rotterdam Police Department Traffic Safety Unit
40 West Campbell Road, Schenectady, NY 12306
1st and 3rd Thursday of the month - Noon to 5 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Patrick Carroll at (518) 382-8224
Town of Niskayuna Police Department
1 Niskayuna Circle, Niskayuna, NY 12309
Daily - Appointment required
Contact: Lt. John LuBrant at (518) 386-4583 Glenville Police
Department
18 Glenridge Road, Glenville, NY 12302
Daily - Appointment required
Contact: Officer Michael E. Schermerhorn at (518) 384-0036
ext. 414
Schenectady Police Department, Traffic Services
Division
837 Albany Street, Schenectady, NY 12307
First Wednesday of month - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Appointment required
Contact: Lt. Robert Crispino at (518) 382-5211 ext. 5301
Village of Scotia Police Department
4 North Ten Broeck Street, Scotia, NY 12302
Monday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the summer
Appointment required
Contact: Patrolman Theodore Cayer, Jr. at (518) 374-3110
*Child Passenger Safety Technicians
are certified by The National Highway Safety Administration
(NHTSA)
