By Gina Yarbrough
Escondido, CA–In recognition of Child Passenger Safety Week, the Escondido Police Department advises parents and caregivers to ensure their children are secured in car and booster seats, or seat belts.
From September 15 to 21, the campaign focuses on raising awareness about proper car seat installation and use.
“Every child deserves to travel safely,” said Escondido Chief of Police Ed Varso. “We encourage all parents and caregivers to double-check their child’s car seat during this week. Using the correct seat for a child’s age and size can be life-saving in a crash.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 46% of car seats are misused. Properly installed seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants under one and by 54 percent for toddlers aged 1 to 4.
California law requires children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they exceed 40 pounds or 40 inches. Children under 8 must be in a car or booster seat, and those over 8 or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall must be secured by a seat belt at a minimum.
Parents should keep their children in rear- or forward-facing seats for as long as possible and use the “Five-Step Test” to determine if a child can safely use a seat belt without a booster.
For a free child safety seat inspection, contact the CHP area office. The program is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through NHTSA.
