Saving lives one car seat at a time

Oct. 8, 2024

By Lauren Macias-Cervantes

EL PASO — Dozens of adults across the state are heading back into the classroom to help keep children safe on Texas roadways.

The most recent set of graduates completed a 32-hour course over four days in El Paso to earn a National Child Passenger Safety Certification.

“We do have people thinking ‘how hard can it be to install a car seat’,” said TxDOT Lead Instructor Monica O’Kane. “This is a college level course. One vehicle could have 4-5 seatbelt systems; seatbelt systems can be broken; we can have children of the same age with different heights, weights, developmental levels, vehicles, and car seats. All of that information is taken into consideration for teaching the technicians how to properly install a car seat to avoid a fatality if involved in a crash.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nationwide, 46% of all car seats are misused, putting children at unnecessary risk if they’re in a crash. That means car seats are not being used correctly nearly half the time. O’Kane has seen it first-hand.

“I’ve been a technician and an instructor for over a decade and my best guesstimate is that I have installed or checked about 7,000-8,000 car seats by now and unfortunately, personally I’ve only seen three people do it correctly,” she said.

O’Kane says top mistakes include early transition to next seat up, not properly attaching seat to the vehicle, loose harness, and chest clip position.

The class — made up of first responders, community advocates, parents and grandparents — learned lessons, and put their new skills to the test with a public car seat safety check.

“This is very rewarding. We can tell people not to drink and drive, we can recommend it,” O’Kane said. “We can recommend not to use their cell phone when they drive but this job is something that when a car drives up, and you teach that parent or caregiver to do the right thing - it’s instant gratification and you know that they are leaving safer than they arrived.”

The instructor takes safety seriously and has made it a family priority. Three out of five of her children are certified CPS technicians and after this latest class her husband, son-in-law and future daughter-in-law are too.

"I took the course because I think it's important to know how to properly transport our two new grandchildren,” said Tom O’Kane. “With my new certification I can serve the community by educating them on the proper installation of car seats. I feel empowered and ready to pass on my knowledge to those in need of this service for their family members."

The 30-year veteran Marine, now Border Patrol - Special Operations Group member, joins thousands certified across the nation to teach caregivers to save lives a car seat at a time.

New Mexico State Trooper David O'Kane said he enrolled in the course to advance his education and experience with seatbelts and car seats.

“I feel like I just completed another college course because of how challenging it was,” he said. “There is much more to the proper use and installation of car seats and a seatbelt. I'm bringing this knowledge back to the county where I patrol and instead of just giving tickets for no car seats, I'm going to help that family or single mother with car seat education I was taught in this course. I am really hoping I can make a difference and save a child's life."

The first responder isn’t the only one hoping the new training will make a difference in their everyday roles. Culberson County Constable Olivia Legarreta is the first tech in her county.

"I took the class because we don't have anyone to educate our community,” she said. “There are a lot of children in my community who are not properly secured in their car seats. I've responded to accidents where children didn't survive because they were not in a car seat and that's something that is hard to get past, it’s something you can never unsee. I'm hoping to educate parents about the importance of having their children in their car seats.”

She wants to involve their Justice of the Peace and educate deputies at the sheriff’s office.

“Taking an hour out of your day to come see one of us, it might save you a lifetime full of heartache,” Monica O’Kane said. “That one hour for your loved one, for your child, your grandchild, for your nephew, for your niece - it’s worth it for every child that you bring to us. It’s something that takes a little bit of time but that’s going to be a lifelong lesson for your family.”

TxDOT offers FREE car seat checks year-round to save children. Visit SaveMeWithASeat.org to find the nearest TxDOT office where you can schedule a car seat check-up.