NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee

NEW YORK STATE
CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY
STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

 

New York State takes pride in the fact that its Child Passenger Safety Program is comprised of highly qualified, professional, and dedicated advocates from a wide variety of professional disciplines. The following standards were established to help ensure that these advocates maintain the highest level of excellence. The requirements and capabilities regarding responsibilities and activities as stated in the Standards of Performance have been established as "best practice" recommendations. All Technicians and Technician Instructors in New York State are expected to uphold and abide by these standards.

 

Child Passenger Safety Technician

Technician Requirements:
Must maintain a current National Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification with AAA (Requires biannual re-certification)
Must participate as Senior Checker or Checker in at least 3 Child Safety Seat Check Up events per year, or work at least 18 hours per year at a fitting station
Must remain current on Child Passenger Safety issues (See list of suggestions)
Must attend Update/Refresher class each year (if offered).
Must inform the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) of any changes to include: technician status, name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, etc.
Attend the annual Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Technical Conference (see narrative)

 

Capabilities:
Provide one-on-one education to parents and caregivers on correct use/ misuses of child restraints
Operate a child safety seat distribution program
Provide presentations to parent classes, community groups, etc. on child passenger safety
Perform Checker and Senior Checker duties at Child Safety Seat Check events
Conduct installations at fitting stations
Conduct CPS training workshops other then the Standardized Child Passenger Safety Technician Training Course.

 

Technician Responsibilities:
Notify the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee at least 6 weeks (or as far in advance as possible) of any cps training workshops scheduled in New York
Keep a record of attendees of all child passenger safety training workshops that you have conducted.
Submit an annual report of all child passenger safety grant activities to the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.
Notify the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee of any child safety seat events to post on the GTSC's web site at www.safeny.com.

 

Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor

Instructor Requirements:
Must maintain a current National CPS Technician Instructor Certification with AAA (Requires biannual re-certification, including teaching 16 hours of the NHTSA Standardized Technician Training Course)
Attend mandatory pre-course instructor team meeting
Must stay up-to-date on Child Passenger Safety issues (See list of suggestions)
Must attend Update/Refresher class each year (if offered). Should not teach the Standardized Child Passenger Safety Technician Training Course unless instructor has attended the update/refresher course first.
Attend the annual Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Technical Conference (see narrative)
Must inform the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee of any changes to include: technician/instructor status, name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, etc.
Must participate in at least 3 Child Safety Seat Check Up events per year

 

Capabilities:
Provide basic one-on-one education to parents or caregivers on correct use/misuses of child restraints
Operate a child safety seat distribution program
Provide presentations to parent classes, community groups, etc. on child passenger safety
Perform Checker and Senior Checker duties at Child Safety Seat Check Up events
Conduct installations at fitting station
Conduct child passenger safety training workshops, including the NHTSA CPS Technician Certification training workshops.
Serve as an Instructor Mentor for Instructor Candidates
Mentor and monitor newly certified technicians

 

Instructor Responsibilities:
Must notify the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee at least 6 weeks or as far in advance as possible of any child passenger safety training workshops scheduled in New York
If Lead Instructor, must provide the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee with a copy of the class roster from the CPS training workshop you've conducted in New York within 5 business days from the last day of the class

 

PRACTITIONER/TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT

Requirements:
Attend one 8 to16-hour Child Passenger Safety training class (such as Operation Kids Fire/Rescue; Operation Kids Law Enforcement; Moving Kids Safely in Child Care; Operation Kids RN curriculum)
Stay up-to-date on Child Passenger Safety issues (See list of suggestions)
Participate in at least 2 Child Safety Seat Check Up events per year

Capabilities:
Provide basic one-on-one education to parents and caregivers on correct use/misuses of child restraints based on safety training education. (Do not exceed the scope of your knowledge)
Assist a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in operating a child safety seat distribution program
Provide presentations to parent classes, community groups, etc. on child passenger safety concepts based on safety training education (Must use current videos, brochures, and other cps materials)
Perform "Checker" duties at Child Safety Seat Check Up events under the supervision of at least one Senior Checker
Assist certified Child Passenger Safety Technician at fitting station

 

EDUCATOR

Attend one 4 to 8-hour Child Passenger Safety training class
Stay up-to-date on Child Passenger Safety issues (See list of suggestions)

Capabilities:
Provide limited one-on-one education to parents or caregivers on correct use/misuses of child restraints based on safety training education (Do not exceed the scope of your knowledge and must use current videos and cps materials)
Assist a certified child passenger safety technician in operating a child safety seat distribution program (Installation education must be conducted by a certified cps technician)
Provide presentations to parent classes, community groups, etc. on basic child passenger safety concepts based on safety training education (Do not exceed the scope of your knowledge and must use current videos and cps materials)
Perform "Recorder" duties at Child Safety Seat Check Up events

 

HOW DO YOU STAY UPDATED?

Try some of these suggestions:
Read the Child Passenger Safety Tech Report published on the National Child Passenger safety Board's web site at www.cpsboard.org 
Attend New York State Task Force Meetings
Attend the Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Conference
Subscribe to Safe Ride News
Access the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov 
Access the National SAFE Kids Campaign web site at www.safekids.org or your local Coalition
Access SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. web site at www.carseat.org 
Access the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee web site at www.safeny.org 
Join the National CPS listserve at CPSPList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Join the Tri-State CPS listserve For more information, please visit http://www.egroups.com/group/tristatecpslist 
Attend a CPS Update/Refresher class
Recall lists can be found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov and Safety Belt Safe's web site at www.carseat.org

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TASK FORCE

New York State established a Child Passenger Safety Task Force in April 1998. Advocates from health, law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, traffic safety, and other professionals met to set goals for New York State. Since this first meeting, New York State has exceeded its goals and expectations for child passenger safety.

Future meetings of the Task Force will be held to establish new state goals, discuss child passenger safety issues that are specific to regions in the state and to address problems that are common to everyone on a statewide basis.

 

Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Technical Conference

The Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Conference is a joint effort among representatives of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, to increase the level of knowledge and competence of child passenger safety educators, practitioners, technicians, and instructors who are actively engaged in child passenger safety arenas. The goal of the conference is to focus on areas to include: education, inspection, program management, enforcement, car seat development, distribution, and special needs passengers. This is an opportunity for those who cannot attend a national conference to meet the vehicle and car seat manufacturers, and government and regulatory officials who will offer the latest information and technology for child passenger safety. The conference will also provide the opportunity to network with other child passenger safety advocates in the tri-state area and to share information and ideas.

Attendance at the Tri-State Child Passenger Safety Conference is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended for child passenger safety advocates. The information and activities offered at the conference are essential to remain current in the ever-changing arena of child passenger safety.

Only those Child Passenger Safety Technicians who are currently certified with National AAA will be invited to this conference and be eligible for financial assistance.

 

CHILD SAFETY SEAT CHECK-UP EVENTS

A Child Passenger Safety Seat Check-Up Event is conducted to educate parents and caregivers about the proper ways to transport children safely using child safety seats and seat belts. The priority of a child safety seat check is to focus on the appropriate child restraint selection and proper installation. In order to validate the child safety seat knowledge of parents and caregivers, they should be the last one to install the child safety seat into the vehicle. Safety should be the number one priority for staff and participants. To ensure the quality of Child Passenger Safety Seat Checks and limit liability concerns, the following guidelines and recommendations have been established:

 

STAFFING AT CHILD SAFETY SEAT CHECK-UP EVENTS

Child safety seat check events should be staffed with specially trained persons who will inspect and supervise the installations of child safety seats by parents and caregivers. Practitioners/Assistants must work with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician when instructing parents how to install a child safety seat. Every check-up event should have at least one Senior Checker. Whenever possible, it is recommended that there be a Senior Checker for every three check up teams. All technicians are required to sign in on an attendance roster at each check-up event to provide documentation of participation.

Remember every technician needs to attend and participate in 3 events a year!

 

SENIOR CHECKER

A Senior Checker is the person with the most training and/or experience in inspecting, selecting, and installing child safety seats.
When possible, the Senior Checker should be a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor.
Ideally, a Senior Checker should be a certified Technician for at least a year, and/or have participated in a minimum of three child safety seat check events after receiving certification from the National AAA. An Instructor may verify to the Technician that he/she is ready to advance to Senior Checker but it is not mandatory.
The Senior Checker should always be available to all team members.
The Senior Checker should not conduct individual safety seat checks (If at all possible).
The Senior Checker has the sole responsibility of approving child restraint installations prior to the vehicle leaving the check-up site.

 

The roles and responsibilities of the Senior Checker include:
Supervise check-up teams to ensure safety seat checks are performed accurately and child safety seats are installed correctly.
Perform a final brief inspection of every vehicle prior to it leaving the check-up site to ensure correct installation.
Ensure all documentation is accurate and complete on the Child Safety Seat Checklist Form prior to releasing the vehicle from the check-up site
Assist checkers as needed on "gray issues" or "difficult situations" as needed. Assist in sharing appropriate information with parents and caregivers, explaining "best practices" and other options so parents may make informed choices on how best to transport their children safely.
Consult with clinic sponsor on criteria for distributing new child safety seats.
Assist check teams in deciding if a seat should be replaced or a free seat given out.
Coordinate with host agency that all required safety materials are available, including the Manufacturer's Instructions for Child Safety Seats.
Ensure that check teams receive breaks and refreshments.
Ensure traffic pattern for entering and exiting the check-up are safe.
Ensure overall safety seat check-up process is running smoothly
Ensure each technician is currently certified with National AAA.
Ensure all non-certified technicians (practitioners, educators, etc.) are paired with a certified technician.
Complete an attendance roster of technicians at each check-up event.

 

CHECKER

It is recommended that the Checkers work in pairs, whenever possible. (Two Technicians, or a Practitioner and a Technician).
Checker must have, at a minimum, successfully completed the National Highway Traffic Administration's Standardized Child Passenger Safety Technician Training.
Provide current certification status if necessary (checker number, expiration date, etc.).

 

The roles and responsibilities of the Checker include:
Instruct parents and caregivers on proper installation and securing of child safety seats.
Responsible for inspecting and overseeing the installation of child safety seats, as well as, proper seat belt use.
Accurately and completely document the Child Safety Seat Checklist Form
Instruct parents and caregivers on securing their child properly in the child safety seat.
Assign tasks to Recorder and/or Runners as necessary
Consult with Senior Checker on "gray issues" or "difficult situations".
Consult with Senior Checker before offering a new child safety seat.
Consult with Senior Checker, if possible, for final review of each vehicle.
Ensure that the parent or caregiver installs the child safety seat before leaving the check-up event. Parent should be the last one to install the child safety seat.
Document all information pertinent to each child safety seat inspection.
Sign attendance roster.

 

RECORDER

The Recorder does not require any specialized training, but should be familiar with the Child Safety Seat Checklist Form and recall list, and understand the importance of correct documentation.

 

The roles and responsibilities of the Recorder include:
Assist the Checker with recording and documenting on the Child Safety Seat Checklist Form.
Assist in locating the instructions for child safety seats or vehicle owner's manual when necessary.
Search for the child safety seat on the recall list.
Ensure that parents or caregivers have received educational handouts such as child passenger safety brochures.

 

TRAFFIC FLOW COORDINATOR

Responsible for making sure vehicles are safely moved in and out of the designated check-up area.
Placement of coordinators should be at the entrance and exit of the check-up area.
Ensure all occupants are buckled up while their vehicle is in motion.
Discourage participants from holding children on their lap when moving the vehicle up the line.
Encourage parent or caregiver to leave the child in the safety seat (if possible) so it may be reviewed for misuse.

 

GREETERS

Responsible for welcoming people and explaining the child safety seat check-up process.
Ensure preliminary demographic information is completed on the Child Safety Seat Checklist Form.
Ensure that the parent or caregiver's signature is on the waiver.
Keep families informed of how long the wait will be.

 

RUNNERS

Responsible for assisting Check-up teams as directed.

 

NEW YORK STATE
GOVERNOR'S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 414
Albany, New York 12228
www.safeny.com 

Revised 12/2002

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