We are so thankful for our sponsors at Colchin Automotive for providing this wonderful opportunity to learn more about car seat safety and experience their superior customer service firsthand!
When the opportunity arose for me to head to Arvada’s Colchin Automotive for a car seat installation, I jumped at it. Not only did I have two car seats sitting in my garage waiting to be installed, I figured it would be a great learning opportunity since I myself was a car seat novice, typically leaving the “car seat stuff” to my husband. After only 45 minutes with Todd Colchin, owner of Colchin Automotive and certified Child Passenger Safety technician, I was convinced that every parent needs a professional installation or inspection of all the seats in their vehicles.
Why should you make an appointment for a FREE installation or inspection at Colchin Automotive today?
- Safety is everyone’s priority. According to a 2012 report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children in the United States. Proper installation of a car seat reduces the risk of injury by up to 82% and the risk of death by 28% according to a 2012 report by AAA. At Colchin Automotive, Todd inspected my two existing car seats and installed a brand new seat to meet all safety requirements necessary for proper installation, all at no cost to me.
- Knowledge is power. Car seat installation was not something I was familiar with, and I couldn’t have told you the difference between a latch system or seat belt installation a few days ago. While Todd was installing my seat, he walked me through the process and even made me connect the car seat latches to my vehicle so I knew exactly how to do it. I left Colchin Automtive with a deeper understanding of how the car seat’s worked and how to install one myself.
- When it comes to car seats, close is never good enough. One study by the CDC found that 72 percent of nearly 3500 observed car seats and booster seats were misused in a way that could be expected to increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash. Even the smallest adjustment could save your child from injury or death if the seat is not properly installed. Taking a few minutes to make an appointment with Colchin can create a safer environment for your kids.
- Customer service is critical. My entire experience at Colchin Automotive was superior and Todd and his team pride themselves on service and giving back to the community. From the moment I walked into the clean and spotless shop I was greeted by Josh who shook my hand and offered me a water bottle before he knew why I was there. Todd took the extra steps of explaining the entire inspection and installation processes to me, so I felt great about the safety of the devices. He followed up with me after the appointment to see if I needed anything else and encouraged me to return for any check-ups or future needs with my car seats. I asked Todd why he chose to start offering free car seat installation and inspection and without hesitation he replied that this was how he wanted to give back to the community. Colchin has been a staple in the Arvada community for over 20 years and he wanted to offer his customers and Denver-area parents a service that is critical for every family with young children.
Todd left me with a few general safety tips worth following:
- Load children and yourself as if you expect to be involved in a crash every time you use your vehicle.
- Teach children proper use of restraint systems from an early age, and model the behavior by wearing your seat belt every time you are in the car.
- Read your owner’s manuals for both the vehicle and restraint systems.
- And lastly, have a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician inspect and teach proper car seat and booster seat installation.
And for all you ladies, Colchin Automotive offers a woman’s Car Care Clinic. Don’t feel like you need a man in your life to help you with car care and safety needs! Colchin Automotive is dedicated to being a fair, reliable shop where all women feel comfortable and confident that they are not getting scammed. Join Todd and his team for their next women’s care clinic on Tuesday, September 13, at 6:00 pm. Make sure you register here!
