The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is participating in Child Passenger Safety Week, an annual campaign running from September 21 to 27. The initiative aims to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of using the correct car seats, booster seats, and seat belts for children based on their age and size.
Deputy Grisso of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office stated, “Every child deserves to travel safely. During Child Passenger Safety Week, we urge all parents and caregivers to know for sure that their children are in the right seats and that those seats are installed correctly. Keeping a child in the right seat for their age and size can make all the difference in a crash.”
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that nearly half of car seats are misused. Proper installation of car seats can significantly reduce fatal injuries: by 71% for infants under one year old and by 54% for toddlers aged one through four.
California law requires children under two years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or measure at least 40 inches tall. After meeting these criteria, children under eight must still use a car seat or booster seat in the back seat. Children who are eight years old or at least four feet nine inches tall may use a booster seat but must be secured with a safety belt at minimum.
Parents and caregivers are advised to keep children in appropriate rear- or forward-facing seats as long as possible and use the “Five-Step Test” to assess if a child is ready for just a seat belt.
Free child safety seat inspections can be scheduled through local CHP Area Offices. Additional traffic safety information is available at www.gosafelyca.org.
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