Local law enforcement agencies raise awareness about child passenger safety
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Chula Vista Police Department and other local agencies are sounding the alarm about the importance of using the correct car seat to keep children safe while they are inside a moving vehicle.
Between Sept. 21-27, CVPD will participate in the annual Child Passenger Safety Week campaign. The effort is aimed at making sure parents and caregivers are keeping child passengers safe by using the right car seats, booster seats and seat belts for their age and size.
- Watch the video above on child safety laws in California
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half (46%) of car seats are not properly used.
Further data shows that properly installed car seats have been proven to reduce fatal injuries from crashes by 71% for infants less than a year old. Meanwhile, they have been shown to reduce fatal injuries related to crashes for toddlers ages 1-4 by 54%.
Under California law, all children under the age of 2 are required to be in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs at least 40 pounds or is at least 40 inches tall.
There is a five-step test to determine whether a child is big enough to use a seat-belt without needing to ride in a booster seat, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, California Department of Public Health and NHTSA.
First, check if the child is sitting tall with their whole back touching the seat. Next, see if the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat and if the belt crosses their shoulder between their neck and arm.
Finally, check if the lap belt touches the top of their legs and if the child can sit in this position for the duration of the car ride. If all of the above is correct, the child may ride without a booster seat.
All children are considered the safest if they are properly restrained and sitting in the back seat until they are 13 years of age, authorities say.
