Point of Impact (POI)

Reno-Sparks Car Seat Inspection and Installation

The Point of Impact program offers free checkpoints throughout the community. Staff and volunteers will check for obvious defects and determine whether the car seat appears on a national recall list. In addition, they will check the installation, correct any problems, and provide education on the proper use and installation of the car seat.

Car seat inspection appointments are also offered by our Point of Impact staff.

View our schedule for upcoming checkpoints

Go to the Events page to see checkpoint details

For checkpoints, bring your child(ren) if possible, and car seat(s) and expect the process to take about 30-45 minutes. If you have more than one car seat it may take longer. Staff and volunteers will check for obvious defects and determine whether the car seat appears on a national recall list. In addition, they will check the installation, correct any problems and provide education on the proper use and installation of the car seat.

You should check the car seat to make sure it has all its parts, labels and instructions and it should never have been involved in a crash. Also, car seats should be registered. Registration makes it easy for the manufacturer to contact the consumer in the event of a recall.

Point of Impact was launched in 1998 and is a community outreach program offered by REMSA Health. The program’s volunteers inspect and properly install more than 300 car seats each year. The program is administered by a REMSA Health employee who educates and trains volunteers who staff the community checkpoint events.

Child Safety Car Seat Inspection

Car seat inspection appointments are offered by Point of Impact staff. Please ensure to have your child(ren) most recent height and weight. Car seats are not distributed at appointments. Must register for class online.

Contact: REMSA Health Community Outreach at (775) 858-5700 ext 6027 for questions.

Family Vehicle Safety Program (FVSP)

For child restraint violations NRS 484.474. MUST bring child`s car seat to class.

The class is approximately 2-3 hours long. Cost: $50 exact.

Contact: REMSA Health Community Outreach at (775) 858-5700 ext 6027 to set up an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Nevada law require?

Nevada law (NRS 484B.157) Effective January 1, 2022.

Children less than 57 inches in height AND under 6 years of age must be secured in a Child Restraint System (a car seat or booster seat).
- Under the new law, both requirements must be made in order for the child to be out of a restraint system.
A child who is less than 2 years of age must be secured in a rear-facing child restraint system in the back seat of a motor vehicle.

An appropriate car seat is one that is labeled for use for your child’s age and weight. Be aware that Nevada law does not reflect the recommendation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA recommends that children stay in an appropriate child restraint until the seat belt fits correctly, usually between the ages of eight and 12. This recommendation is endorsed by Safe Kids USA and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Also, remember that each state has different car seat requirements. California, for example, requires that children remain in an appropriate child restraint until they reach the age of eight and a weight of 80 pounds. For a list of the car seat laws in each state, click here.

When can I turn my rear-facing child forward-facing?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that toddlers stay in the rear-facing position as long as possible. Turning a child forward-facing too soon can result in severe neck and/or head injuries in a crash. In Nevada, a child needs to stay rear-facing until his/her second birthday or until he/she has reached the rear-facing weight limit of a rear-facing car seats. Check the car seat owner’s manual or the car seat labels for height and weight limits for your car seat.

When can my child begin using a booster seat instead of a car seat?

A child can move from a car seat with a harness to a booster seat when three conditions are met. First, the child has reached the maximum weight or height of their forward-facing car seat. Check the car seat owner’s manual or the car seat labels for height and weight limits for your car seat. Second, the child weighs at least 40 pounds. Some booster seats are labeled for use beginning at 30 pounds, but we hesitate to recommend a booster for a child who does not weigh 40 pounds. Finally, because the booster seat has no internal harness and uses the seat belt as an adult would, the child must be mature enough to leave the seat belt buckled for the entire duration of the trip.

When can my child stop using the booster seat?

The child can stop using the booster and use a vehicle seat belt when ALL the following requirements are met:

The child’s knees bend at the edge of the seat when their backs and bottoms are against the vehicle seat back—no slouching!
The vehicle lap belt rests across the upper thighs.
The shoulder belt fits across the shoulder and chest.

Most children are usually between the ages of eight and 12 when the vehicle seat belt fits properly. Nevada law requires children less than 57 inches in height
AND under 6 years of age must be secured in a Child Restraint System (a car
seat or booster seat). If not all these requirements are met or if the seat belt does not fit correctly, the child needs to stay in a booster seat. For more information, click here.

When can my child sit in the front seat?

The back seat is the safest place for children to ride. Children need to stay safely restrained in the back seat until they are 13 years old, regardless of weight or height. A child under 13 years old does not have the physical development to withstand the speed and force of a passenger airbag deployment. Children as old as 14 have been killed by an airbag while riding in the front seat.

How can I make sure my car seat is installed correctly?

Start by reading the manual for your car seat and your vehicle. When your seat is installed correctly, it will move less than one inch along the seat belt path. If you are still having problems, our Child Passenger Safety Technicians are available to help you through our community programs.

REMSA’s Point of Impact program offers free monthly checkpoints where our technicians can help you with your car seat installation. They are offered one Saturday each month — except December — at locations throughout the Reno/Sparks area.

REMSA offers car seat check appointments. Click here.

I need to buy a car seat for my child. Which one is the best?

The best car seat for any child is one that is the right seat for the age and weight of the child riding in it, that fits the car the child will travel in and that is easy enough for the parent to use correctly every time. While our employees and volunteers can recommend a certain type of seat or features you can look for, they cannot recommend a specific manufacturer or model of car seat.

I have a car seat that I am not using anymore. What can I do with it?

Inspect your car seat to see if it is expired. Some manufacturers mold the seat’s expiration date into the plastic frame of the car seat. If you can’t locate the expiration date, find the date of manufacture on the car seat label. Car seats generally expire six years after their manufacture date. If your car seat is expired, it can’t be used again, and you can dispose of it. We recommend that you cut the straps and throw the pad and straps away separate from the car seat shell so that someone cannot pull it out of the trash and use it.

If your car seat is not expired, you have two options. You can give it to a friend or relative; if you do this, make sure to include the car seat’s owner’s manual! The second option is to provide it as a donation to the Point of Impact program. Keep in mind, however, that we cannot distribute used car seats for use by other families. Point of Impact uses secondhand seats in good condition to train new volunteers and technicians.

Point of Impact does not recommend that you sell your car seat or donate it to an organization for resale (most thrift stores or organizations will not take them). We also do not recommend that you buy a car seat from a garage sale or use a secondhand car seat unless you personally know the previous owner and are SURE the car seat has never been in a crash.

I was in a crash. Do I need to replace my car seat?

If your crash is considered moderate or severe, your car seat will need to be replaced. If your crash was minor, however, you can continue to use your car seat. A crash is considered minor if ALL the following are true:

The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash.
The vehicle door nearest the car seat was not damaged.
No passengers sustained an injury due to the crash.
The vehicle’s air bags did not deploy.
There is no visible damage to the car seat.

If any of these statements are FALSE, your crash is considered moderate or severe and your car seat needs to be replaced.

Keep in mind that some car insurance companies will require car seat replacement, regardless of the severity of the crash. Contact your insurance agent for details.

My question was not answered here. Where can I get more information?

If you have specific questions, call us at (775) 858-5700. We are happy to answer your questions or refer you to local resources if necessary.

For general car seat and safety information, you may find the following links useful:

Car Seat Manufacturer Websites:

Baby Trend
Britax
Chicco
Combi
Diono
Evenflo
Graco
Safety 1st, Cosco, Maxi Cosi, Eddie Bauer
Orbit
Peg Perego

Outreach