Child Passenger Safety Qualifications

Senior Checkers

Senior Checkers ensure that the education received by parents and caregivers is up-to-date and consistent with current best practices. A Senior Checker is well-trained and experienced in addressing many child passenger safety issues. She must ensure that every child leaves the event as safely as possible, so choosing someone who is knowledgeable, reliable and a good communicator is critical. Although the national SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP team reviews Senior Checker applications, coalition coordinators and child passenger safety specialists know their local applicants’ abilities best, so exercise discretion in submitting applications.

Each child safety seat inspected at SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP events (including registry events), must ultimately be double-checked by a National SAFE KIDS Campaign-approved Senior Checker. Even when other checkers are well versed and experienced, a second set of eyes may catch inadvertent errors or see alternative solutions. Senior checkers should be clearly identified at events (introduced at pre-event meetings, wearing special “uniforms,” wearing laminated name badges, etc.)

Key Senior Checker Skills

• Is the applicant currently certified as a CPS technician or a CPS technician-instructor?
• Has the applicant continued to receive updated CPS information (participated in national/regional conferences, subscribed to technical periodicals, attended update classes, participated in supervised CPS checkup events, joined local CPS task forces, etc.)?

Experience

• How long has the applicant been actively involved with CPS efforts?
• How often does the applicant check child safety seats?
• How many child safety seats has he/she checked, in the past 12 months?
• Has the person participated in SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP events or other events sponsored by your coalition?

Communication

• Has the applicant provided awareness training and or technical training to others?
• Has he/she assisted with hands-on training of CPS technicians and/or parents and caregivers?

 Organization

• Can the applicant ensure that current SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP checklists are filled out completely and correctly?
• Does he/she recognize the value of good documentation, for liability and statistical purposes?
• Will the applicant collect completed forms and assist with the event evaluation process?

Senior Checker Profile

The Senior Checker Profile is only required for all Senior Checkers for any SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Car Seat Check Up Events (granted or registry), Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations and CPS Awareness Workshops. Individuals applying to be the Lead Instructor for the NHTSA Standardized CPS Training and the SAFE KIDS CPS Update-Refresher classes need to complete the SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Lead Instructor Profile.

SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP protocol now requires that Senior Checker profiles be approved each fiscal year (7/1 – 6/30). Technicians and Instructors are required to renew their profiles at the beginning of each fiscal year in order to remain SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP approved Senior Checkers.

Please Note:All SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP approved Lead Instructors are automatically considered approved Senior Checkers. They do not need to submit this SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Senior Checker Profile.

Safe Kids Worldwide

Download SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Senior Checker Profile form.

Download Utah SAFE KIDS Senior Checker Application form.