Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Program​

Did you know that over 40% of car seats for children are used incorrectly?

And that nearly 60% of adults are unaware of the laws governing the use of car seats for children?

The purpose of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) San Jose's Child Passenger Safety (CPS) program is to assist with the efforts of reducing the mileage death rate among children, by providing traffic safety presentations and check-up events in Santa Clara County to the public on CPS issues.
In order to accomplish this goal, the CHP San Jose office implemented a Child Safety Seat Fitting Station, provides traffic safety presentations and child safety check-up events to better serve the public on CPS issues.      

Are you using your car seat correctly?

If you're not sure, consider a Fitting Station.  Fitting Stations are available to the public to come for information, resources, instruction, and assistance in obtaining and installing a Child Passenger Restraint Seat (CPRS). A certified CPS technician will provide instruction, guidance, and a hands-on demonstration on proper infant/child placement in a CPRS or seat belt as well as correct installation in a motor vehicle. Upon completion of the demonstration, the parent/guardian/caregiver shall install the CPRS in the vehicle, place the child in the CPRS, and ensure the child is properly restrained prior to leaving the San Jose Area office. The only exception would be if the parent/guardian/caregiver is physically incapable of performing the installation due to a disability (i.e. arthritis, missing limb, or final stages of pregnancy, etc.).
Fitting stations and child safety seat check-up events have proven to be an effective way to decrease the high rate of misuse of CPRS among those that transport children in vehicles.

Children MUST be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) in the back seat of the vehicle until they are at least 6 years old or weigh at least 60 pounds.

Our goal is to educate children and caregivers to make buckling up a habit for life.

​The Every 15 Minutes program is a two-day program focusing on high school juniors and seniors, which challenges them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and many others.

Goals & Objectives

The program brings together a broad coalition of interested local agencies with the goal of reducing alcohol-related incidents among youth. The partnering of the California Highway Patrol, emergency medical responders, local law enforcement, schools, businesses, and service clubs validates the importance of working together to ensure a healthy community.
The two-day Every 15 Minutes program is very dramatic and emotional-and purposely so. Teenagers are constantly reminded about the choices they have to make involving alcohol and how many others are affected by their decisions. They know the intellectual statistics. However, many teens share the belief it will never happen to them.

Results & Impact

This powerful program is designed to create awareness among students that they are not invincible. This program helps open the emotional doors, and it addresses a problem most teens do not know exist. They experience first hand how their actions affect their lives of so many other people.

Funding

With funding available from the California Office of Traffic Safety, the California Highway Patrol provides mini-grants to agencies and organizations implementing the program. Experienced California Highway Patrol personnel are available to provide technical assistance in planning and implementing your program.

Contact Information

For further information concerning the Every 15 Minutes program or to apply for a grant, please contact the California Highway Patrol San Jose office:

Public Information Officer
2020 Junction Avenue
San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 467-5400