The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is participating in Child Passenger Safety Week, joining other law enforcement agencies and community organizations to promote proper car seat use for children. The campaign, which runs from September 21 to 27, aims to ensure that parents and caregivers use the correct car seats, booster seats, and seat belts for their children’s age and size.
“Every child deserves to travel safely,” said Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jared Hansen. “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.”
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that nearly half of car seats are misused. Studies indicate that properly installed car seats reduce fatal injury crashes by 71% for infants under one year old and by 54% for toddlers ages one through four.
California law mandates that children under two years old must ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall. Children under eight years old must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat until they meet height or age requirements. After reaching these milestones, they may transition to using a safety belt.
Parents are encouraged to keep their children in rear- or forward-facing seats as long as possible based on manufacturer guidelines and use established tests like the “Five-Step Test” before moving them out of booster seats.
Free child safety seat inspections can be scheduled through local California Highway Patrol Area Offices. More information about traffic safety is available at www.gosafelyca.org.
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Those interested in careers with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office can apply at joinrso.org or call 1-888-Join-RSD.
