Murrieta Police Urge Car Seat Checks During Child Passenger Safety Week

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta police are joining dozens of other agencies in urging residents to ensure their children are in the correct car seat, booster seats and seat belts for their age and size during Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 21 to 27.

“Every child deserves to travel safely,” said Murrieta PD Traffic Bureau Sergeant Zach Bradley. “We urge all parents and caregivers to know for sure that their children are in the right seats and that those seats are installed correctly. Keeping a child in the right seat for their age and size can make all the difference in a crash.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half of car seats — 46 percent — are misused. Properly installed car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injuries in crashes by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers ages 1 through 4.

California law requires all children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh 40 pounds or more or are 40 or more inches tall. Children under 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat. Children 8 and older, or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may transition to a seat belt but must be properly buckled.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to keep children in rear- or forward-facing seats as long as possible and to use the “Five-Step Test” to determine whether a child is ready to ride without a booster seat.

Free child safety seat inspections are available at local California Highway Patrol area offices. More information on traffic safety can be found at www.gosafelyca.org.