Make Sure Kids Are Buckled Up In The Car, Manhattan Beach Police Will Be Watching

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA -- Is your child properly buckled in his or her car seat? The Manhattan Beach Police Department, along with several Southland law enforcement agencies, will be conducting a special enforcement program starting Sunday focusing on children who are not properly restrained in their car seats.

The special enforcement period will last until April 1. Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of deaths for children and young adults, according to the department. In 2014, more than 6,000 children under the age of 14 were killed or seriously injured as a result of vehicle crashes in California, 63 percent were unrestrained, according to the MBPD.

"Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself and your passengers in a crash," the MBPD said in a statement. "It is extremely important to make sure all children riding in your car be properly secured before every trip."

California law requires children to ride in a safety seat or booster, in the back seat, until they are at least eight years of age. Children must also ride rear-facing until they are two years of age or until they are at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall.

Even when children are buckled in their car seats, about 90 percent of them were buckled up incorrectly, the department said. Police recommend parents visit a local inspection location to ensure that their children are properly secured in their seats. For a list of local inspection locations, visit seatcheck.org.

Photo courtesy of the MBPD