CPST Practice Test Video Answers

1. B
The CPST certification requires a minimum passing score of 84% on the combined quizzes, which means answering at least 42 out of 50 questions correctly across three open-book quizzes.

2. B
CPST certification is valid for two years. After this period, technicians must complete recertification requirements including seat checks, community education, and continuing education units.

3. A
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. This system was designed to make car seat installation easier and became required in vehicles and car seats manufactured after September 1, 2002.

4. C
The combined weight limit for using lower anchors in most vehicles is 65 pounds, which includes both the weight of the child and the car seat. Once this limit is exceeded, the seat belt should be used instead.

5. B
The chest clip should be positioned at armpit level on the child’s chest. This position helps keep the harness straps properly positioned over the child’s shoulders and torso during a crash.

6. B
A properly installed car seat should not move more than one inch side-to-side or front-to-back when tested at the belt path. This is known as the “inch test” and indicates a secure installation.

7. B
For rear-facing car seats, the shoulder harness straps should be at or below the child’s shoulders. This positioning helps properly restrain the child during a crash when the seat is rear-facing.

8. B
For forward-facing car seats, the shoulder harness straps should be at or above the child’s shoulders. This is the opposite of rear-facing positioning due to the different crash dynamics.

9. B
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) is the regulation that sets the safety standards for child restraint systems in the United States. Car seats must meet these standards to be sold in the US.

10. C
NHTSA recommends always using a tether with forward-facing car seats, regardless of whether the seat is installed with lower anchors or the vehicle seat belt. The tether significantly reduces forward head movement in a crash.

11. B
The pinch test is performed by pinching the harness webbing at the child’s shoulder. If you can pinch any excess webbing between your fingers, the harness is too loose and needs to be tightened.

12. B
Bulky winter coats compress during a crash, which creates slack in the harness straps. This slack can allow the child to move excessively or even slip out of the harness during a collision.

13. C
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children rear-facing until at least age 2, or until they reach the maximum height or weight limit allowed by their rear-facing car seat.

14. B
The lap belt should lie low on the hips and across the upper thighs, not across the stomach. This positioning helps distribute crash forces across the strong hip bones rather than the soft abdominal area.

15. C
The shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder and lie across the chest. It should not cross the neck, face, or be placed behind the back or under the arm.

16. B
Car beds are primarily designed for premature infants or babies with medical conditions that prevent them from sitting semi-reclined, allowing them to travel in a flat, supine position.

17. B
Children are typically ready to use a seat belt without a booster when they reach approximately 4 feet 9 inches (57 inches) tall and can pass the 5-Step Test demonstrating proper seat belt fit.

18. C
LATCH became required in all new vehicles and car seats manufactured on or after September 1, 2002, as mandated by federal regulations to standardize and simplify car seat installation.

19. C
Using both lower anchors and the vehicle seat belt simultaneously is not allowed for installing car seats. You must use one method or the other, not both, unless specifically permitted for certain booster seats.

20. B
The back seat is the safest place for all children under 13 years old. This protects them from frontal airbag deployment and places them farther from points of impact in most crashes.

21. B
When a child outgrows the harness height or weight limits of their forward-facing car seat, they should transition to a belt-positioning booster seat, not directly to a seat belt alone.

22. B
After a moderate to severe crash, the car seat should be replaced even if no visible damage is present. The seat’s structural integrity may be compromised in ways not visible to the eye.

23. B
Registering a car seat with the manufacturer is important so that caregivers can be notified of any safety recalls affecting their specific seat model.

24. C
For CPST recertification, technicians must complete five different types of seat checks (rear-facing only, rear-facing convertible, forward-facing, booster seat, and seat belt), which must be verified by an instructor or proxy.

25. B
CPSTs must earn at least six continuing education units (CEUs) during their two-year certification cycle to maintain their knowledge and qualify for recertification.

26. A
In a rear-facing car seat, the top of the child’s head should be at least one inch below the top of the car seat shell to provide adequate head protection in a crash.

27. A
A child has outgrown a forward-facing car seat by height when their shoulders are above the highest harness slot, or when the tops of their ears are above the top of the car seat shell.

28. C
Infant-only seats (also called rear-facing only seats) can only be used in the rear-facing position and typically have lower weight limits than convertible or all-in-one seats.

29. B
The national CPST certification training course is typically three to four days long and includes classroom instruction, hands-on activities, skills assessments, and participation in a community seat check event.

30. C
Booster seats must only be used with a lap and shoulder belt combination. Using a booster with a lap-only belt is dangerous because there is no upper body restraint protection.

31. B
The top tether on a forward-facing car seat reduces forward head movement (head excursion) during a crash by holding the top of the car seat more securely to the vehicle.

32. C
Both the car seat manufacturer’s manual and the vehicle owner’s manual should be consulted every time a car seat is installed or used to ensure proper fit and installation.

33. B
In the United States, individuals must be at least 18 years old to become a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician through the Safe Kids Worldwide program.

34. B
The 5-Step Test determines if a child is ready to ride safely using only the vehicle’s seat belt without a booster seat. It checks proper positioning of back, knees, belt fit, and ability to maintain position.

35. C
Tether anchor locations vary by vehicle and can be found on the rear shelf (sedans), vehicle floor, back of the seat itself, or roof of the vehicle. The vehicle owner’s manual specifies the exact locations.

36. C
Expired car seats should not be used and should be properly disposed of. They should not be donated, sold, or given away because the materials may have degraded and safety standards may have changed.

37. B
When LATCH is used with booster seats, the lower anchors keep the unoccupied booster from becoming a projectile in a crash or sudden stop. The seat belt, not LATCH, restrains the child in a booster.

38. B
The “Safe Travel for All Children: Transporting Children with Special Health Care Needs” is a two-day enrichment course for certified CPSTs who want specialized training in transporting children with medical conditions or disabilities.

39. C
In most vehicles, lower anchors are located in the outboard (side) rear seating positions only. Many vehicles do not have dedicated lower anchors in the center rear position, though some may allow “borrowing” anchors from adjacent positions.

40. C
Best practice dictates that the caregiver should always perform the “final click” to buckle their child into the car seat. This ensures the caregiver has practiced and can properly secure their child independently in the future.

41. B
Rear-facing car seats must be reclined at the correct angle for newborns to prevent positional asphyxia. Newborns lack head control, and if the seat is too upright, their chin can fall to their chest, potentially obstructing the airway. The proper recline keeps the airway open while still providing crash protection.

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