The Oregon Fix Auto Collision network is partnering with Legacy Health to support child safety. The program promotes safety awareness and provides recycling solutions for damaged car safety seats.

The Oregon Fix Auto network consists of six repair facilities (five locations in the Portland Metropolitan area and one location in The Dalles). All locations will serve as drop-off sites for the recycling program.

“We provide thousands of estimates between our locations each year. Some cars have car safety seats intact, while other customers have removed the seats before they arrive,” says Fix Auto Gresham owner Shon Kim. “We want to make sure that if these seats are deemed unsafe for use, they are being recycled. Just because you can’t see visible damage to a child safety seat doesn’t mean that the manufacturer won’t recommend it to be replaced.”

Replacement guidelines, which vary by manufacturer, are found in the instruction manual for the seat or by contacting the manufacturer at the number listed on the seat label. In addition to post-accident replacement guidelines, most child safety seats also have an expiration date, which is generally only to accommodate one child.

“If people use these seats longer than the suggested life of the seat, there is a much higher probability the seat will not work properly, especially in the unfortunate circumstance that they are involved in an accident,” says Erin Gallant, Fix Auto business development manager.

Through Fix Auto's partnership with LKQ, the car safety seats will be collected from the Fix Auto locations and transported to the recycling center in an environmentally responsible manner. 

“Partnering with Fix Auto is beneficial on many levels,” says Tammy Franks, child passenger safety coordinator for the Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel. “Auto collision repair shops provide an appropriate environment for families to receive education on the need to replace car safety seats after a crash.”

Fix Auto Sunset/Beaverton owner, Gil Messenger adds, “In addition to providing safety education, we like that this program is recycling used or damaged materials. As part of our core values, the Fix Auto organization makes it a priority to be environmentally responsible. By recycling the car safety seats, we’re doing our small part to help eliminate unnecessary landfill waste.”