SACRAMENTO,
Calif. –The California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) received the California
Restraint Safety Education and Training (CARSEAT) V grant to support its ongoing
effort to improve child passenger safety.
The CHP will use the grant funds to conduct public awareness campaigns,
training courses, and enhanced-enforcement patrols through
September
30, 2022.
The
CARSEAT V campaign will focus on reducing
the number of children killed and injured in traffic crashes throughout
California. To accomplish this goal, the
CHP will offer educational seminars, new parent classes, and appointments at local Area offices for child
safety seat inspections and assistance with installations. These efforts will highlight the importance
of safety seats and seat belts, and provide information on the proper
installation of child passenger safety seats.
“We
are raising public awareness of the dangers of traveling with children in a
vehicle who are not securely buckled into the appropriate child passenger
safety seat,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said.
“As a parent or caregiver, it is your responsibility to protect these vulnerable
passengers.”
California
law requires a child to be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat
in the rear seat of a vehicle until they are at least 8 years old. Children age 8 and older, who are at least 4 feet 9 inches, may ride in the rear seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted
seat belt. Children under the age of 2 must
ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach 40 pounds or 40 inches in
height. For the best protection, all
children should ride rear-facing if possible, until they reach the upper weight
and height limits of their car seat. For
more information on child safety seats or current California law, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.
In
addition to educational efforts, the CHP will be conducting enforcement
operations concentrating on seat belt and safety seat violations throughout the
year with a special emphasis during the “Click It or Ticket” campaign May 23
through June 5, 2022, and during Child Passenger Safety Week September 18 through
24, 2022.
Funding
for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic
Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety,
Service, and Security.
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