SafeSeat for Baby

Safety Adjustments to SafeSeat for Babies Program:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids be at least 5 years old and weigh at least 40 pounds before riding in a booster. All Certified Technicians and Instructors will advocate for keeping kids in safety seats with internal harnesses for as long as possible and up to the maximum height and weight for the seat. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

SafeSeat for Baby Program

SafeSeat for Baby provides car seats at no cost to Montana families in need. Families who receive car seats also undergo training on how to install and use the seat.

For a family to be eligible, the local public health department or an early childhood specialist must refer them to the program.

Instructions for referring families

Referrals must come from a public health department or other family support organization.

  1. Place the order. Complete the online order/request form.
  2. Print and complete the receipt & release form for your records.
  3. Set up an appointment for a certified car seat technician to install the car seat and provide training. (The family cannot receive the car seat before this appointment.) If no technicians are in your area, contact us, and we’ll work with you to find a solution.
  4. Have the family complete a photo release form and send us a photo of them so we can share their success story. Please make sure the file is in JPG/JPEG format with good resolution (around 72 DPI, with the file size between 50 and 200 KB).

While most caregivers use car seats to keep their children safe, recent studies found that more than 75% of car seats are not installed correctly. Helping families access appropriate car seats and install them correctly is important for protecting children.

Finding the right car seat

  • Use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s car seat finder to determine which options are best.
  • Ensure you’re getting the right type of car seat based on your child’s age, height, and weight.

Installing and using the car seat

  • Register your car seat so you can receive recall notices.
  • Follow instructions from the car seat manufacturer and in your vehicle owner’s manual when installing the car seat. You can also refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s instructions for further guidance if needed.
  • Keep children in the back seat until they’re at least 13 years old.
  • Free installation assistance is available. Please contact us at hmhb@hmhb-mt.org to be connected to a certified car seat technician in your area.
  • Keep in mind that as your children grow, car seat recommendations change. Before changing the position of a car seat, revisit these resources to find the most recent guidelines.