Parents and caregivers have a responsibility to keep kids safe when traveling in vehicles. Although the data is preliminary, according to the Statewide Traffic Records System (SWITRS), between 2016 and 2018, a child under the age of 13 was involved in a crash every 11.4 minutes in California. More than 200 children were killed in those collisions.
Many times, injuries and deaths can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters and seat belts. To help keep kids safe, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is joining its traffic safety partners throughout the state for Child Passenger Safety Week, which begins Sept. 15 and concludes Sept. 21 with National Seat Check Saturday.
State law requires that all children under the age of two, weighing under 40 pounds and under 40 inches tall, to ride in a rear-facing car seat. All children under the age of eight must ride in the back seat in an age-appropriate safety seat. Safety experts recommend that all children ride in the back seat until the age of 13. For more information about child passenger safety, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.
In a nationwide study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that two out of three car seats are misused. That misuse, or lack of use, can result in serious injury or death. Throughout Child Passenger Safety Week, CHP Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians will provide safety seat inspections, education, and hands-on training for parents and caregivers. Free inspections by CPS technicians are also available year-round, by appointment, at any CHP Area office.
“Using a child safety seat is the best way to protect kids inside your vehicle,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Every CHP office has personnel trained to assist you and make certain that you are using the right car seat and it is installed correctly. Make an appointment with one of our car seat technicians today.”
-Submitted by Jaime Coffee, California Highway Patrol Information Officer
