Free Car Seat Class Offered for New Parents in Detroit Lakes

Sanford Children's Community Programs to host event covering car seat laws, installation tips, and common safety mistakes.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Detroit Lakes Sanford Clinic is offering a free car seat class on Monday, March 16 from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. The class is geared towards first-time parents but open to anyone, and will cover topics like car seat laws in Minnesota, proper installation techniques, and common safety mistakes to avoid.

Why it matters

Ensuring car seats are installed correctly is crucial for protecting young children in the event of a crash. This class provides an opportunity for new parents to learn from experts and get hands-on guidance to keep their kids safe on the road.

The details

The class will be led by Sanford Children's Community Programs Manager Katie Heck. Some of the key topics that will be covered include: Minnesota's law requiring children 2 and under to be in rear-facing car seats, the importance of following the manufacturer's instructions for installation, and common mistakes like using both seat belts and lower anchors or adding extra padding.

  • The car seat class will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.

The players

Sanford Children's Community Programs

A division of the Sanford Health network that provides educational resources and support for families.

Katie Heck

The Community Programs Manager at Sanford Children's who will be leading the car seat class.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of people think that's very, like logically, you would think that's more secure, but the majority of car seats do not allow that, and it's like wearing contacts and glasses, it blurs the effectiveness of that car seat.”

— Katie Heck, Community Programs Manager, Sanford Children's (dl-online.com)

What’s next

Parents can register for the free car seat class online at the Sanford Health website or by calling 701-234-7233.

The takeaway

This class is a valuable resource for new parents in the Detroit Lakes area to ensure they are properly installing and using car seats to keep their young children safe while traveling. Experts will be on hand to provide hands-on guidance and dispel common car seat safety myths.