CPS Recertification requirements and topics covered in the 2023 – 2024 TIPP CPS Technical Update Class
2023 – 2024 CPS Technical Update Class Overview
Child Passenger Safety Certification
Successful completion of a National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training class certifies an individual as a CPS technician for two years. To retain your CPS certification, you must successfully complete the recertification process before the current 2 – year certification cycle expires.
Recertification Requirements: As you meet these requirements, record them in your online profile at https://cert.safekids.org/.
- Log into your personal profile on the CPS Certification website
- Click on “Log In – CPS Tech/Tech To Be”
- Enter your username and password
- Scroll down to Recertification and enter completed recertification requirements
- Pay Recertification Fee: Fee can be paid up to 4 months prior the recertification expiration date
Verified Seat Check Activity (5 seat types)
Observation and verification of seat checks is critical to quality assurance. Recertification requires that technicians and instructors demonstrate technical and communications skills during each of five seat checks in the presence of an instructor or technician proxy. The five seat checks are:
- Rear-facing only safety seat
- Rear-facing convertible safety seat
- Forward-facing safety seat with harness
- Belt-positioning booster
- Harnessed car seat installation with LATCH
Community Education: (checkup, community workshop or educational workshop)
Requirements for community education can be achieved in one of three ways. Options for meeting the recertification requirement are listed below. Recertifying technicians can choose to:
Participate in a two-hour seat checkup event with at least one other CPS technician. You are welcome to combine different checkup events or appointments to meet the time requirement of two hours. -OR-
Provide at least four hours of community education to individuals who are not CPS technicians. Examples: child passenger safety presentation for parenting groups, organizations, or agencies, (EMS/Law Enforcement, Transportation/Head Start). Working at a health fair where you are primarily talking about CPS also qualifies as community education for recertification. Combine different presentations to meet the time requirement of four hours. -OR-
Attend a one hour (minimum) educational session(s), live or online. Examples include how to better reach community members or underserved communities, improve communication skills or instructor development and learning about other cultures and their beliefs in your community. Visit https://www.carseateducation.org/cpst-community-education for recorded community education webinars. Upcoming webinars can be found at https://cpsboard.org/webinars/.
Continuing Education (6 hours)
Earn at least 6 CPS technical continuing education units (CEUs) during the two-year certification cycle. CEUs do not carry over from one period to the next, even if you have completed more than the required six hours. CEUs are entered into your profile and the certificate of completion must be kept as proof of attendance in case you are selected for a recertification audit. An audit may occur during the three months following your recertification. CEUs can be earned through:
- In-person Session/Workshop (maximum 6 CEUs)
- The TIPP CPS Technical Update has been pre-approved for 6 CPS CEUs. Attendees will be given a certificate as proof of attendance in case of an audit by Safe Kids Certification.
- Online/Web Sessions (maximum 6 CEUs)
- Moderated webinars feature one or more speakers with the ability for participants to ask questions.
- Non-moderated sessions can be a PowerPoint presentation or recorded webinar that is available to watch without interacting with others. If you complete a non-moderated session, an assessment, such as a quiz, is required to qualify as a CEU. A passing quiz score is 80 percent. Visit the following for recorded webinars:
- Upcoming CPS CEU webinars can be found at https://www.cpsboard.org/webinars/ and
- Visit the Safe Kids Certification Training portal at https://training.safekids.org/.
CPSTI Teaching Requirement (20 hours)
At least 10 of the 20 hours must be earned through lecturing or hands-on teaching of the full Certification Course. The other 10 may be earned from mentoring or teaching the Certification Renewal Testing Course.
Pay the recertification fee (this may be done up to four months prior to your certification cycle end date)
- The recertification fee is $55 for technicians and instructor candidates and $60 for instructors.
Please note: The recertification process cannot be completed in one-day. You must complete all recertification requirements, including paying the recertification fee, on or before the expiration date of your current 2 – year certification cycle.
The PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project 2023 – 2024 Child Passenger Safety Technical Update
The 2023 – 2024 Traffic Injury Prevention Project CPS Technical Update Class is outlined below. The presentation has been pre-approved for 6 CPS CEUs. Participating in the one-day class will meet the 6 hours of Continuing Education requirement for CPS recertification. The class will be offered throughout the State and scheduled classes will be posted on the TIPP website. If you are interested in hosting a class in your area, please contact your TIPP Regional Coordinator or the TIPP office at 1-800 CAR BELT.
The 2023 – 2024 CPS Technical Update includes 4 segments that discuss the following: FMVSS 213 Update & Car Seats in the News & On the Go, CRS Design Trends: Rotating Car Seats, Did You Know?, and CPS Trivia Challenge – Jeopardy. This class provides information on technical updates and changes made within the CPS field. Attendees will be given a certificate as proof of attendance in case of an audit by Safe Kids Certification.
The PA TIPP 2023 – 2024 CPS Technical Update Course ID# is 7745
Section 1: FMVSS 213 Update & Car Seats in the News & On the Go (2 hours)
- FMVSS 213a, Side Impact Protection &
- Proposed changes to FMVSS 213 regarding:
- Standard Vehicle Seat – Bench Seat
- Registration Program – Recalls
- Information on Labels & Instructions
- Streamlining Use of ATDs in Compliance Testing
- School Bus Specific Car Seats
- Review car seats, highlighting features, use, and installation. The seats include:
- Evenflo LiteMax/SafeMax and Shyft DualRide
- Britax Willow Brook/Willow Brook S Travel System
- Nuna Pipa Urbn Travel System
- Doona Car Seat & Stroller
- babyark convertible car seat
Section 2: CRS Design Trends: Rotating Car Seats (2 hours)
- Highlight the currently available rotating car seats by type: RF only, Convertible, and All-in-1
- Review similarities and differences in features and the variability in instructions for their use and installation, including tether use. Identify those approved for use on airplanes and their installation instructions. The seats included are:
- Cybex Aton G Swivel
- Maxi Cosi Peri 180
- Baby Jogger City Turn
- Cybex Sirona S
- Evenflo Revolve Slim
- Nuna Revv & Nuna Revv Updated
- Evenflo Revolve
- Evenflo Revolve Extend
- Graco Turn2Me
- Maxi Cosi Emme
- Safety 1st Turn & Go 360
Section 3: Did You Know? (1 hour)
- Discuss a variety of vehicle and car seat instructions that apply to specific manufacturers for car seat use and installation.
- Rear Vehicle Seat Front Air Bags
- Vehicle Seat Bench Length
- Vehicle Seat Bightline Waterfall Seat Design
- Stability/Load Legs and Vehicle Manual Guidance for Use
- Car seat manufacturer’s instructions for:
- Harness height
- Vehicle space (Evenflo RF Only Car Seat Clearance vs. Dorel RF Seat contact with the Front Vehicle Seat Back, and Dorel’s Head Clearance in BPBs)
- Booster Seat Instructions Prohibiting Use in the Front Seat with an Active Passenger-Side Air Bag
- Changes in Expiration Dates from Date of Manufacture to Date of Purchase for Some Car Seat Manufacturers
- Evenflo’s Waiver Program to use Merritt Manufacturing’s Add on Harness Clip for 3 of their Car Seats
- Graco’s 4Ever DLX Grad 5-in-1 Car Seat
- Tether Tips
- Booster Seat Belt Path with the Britax SecureGuard Clip & UPPAbaby Secure Fit System
Section 4: CPS Trivia Challenge – Jeopardy (1 hour)
- Jeopardy (Review and CPS Challenge):
- Rotating Car Seats
- Car Seats / Car Seat Instructions
- CR Instructions – Did it Say…?
- The Car Has What?
- A Little of This & That