The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is enhancing its efforts to help ensure children are safely secured while traveling California’s roadways. The CHP has partnered with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to implement the “California Restraint Safety Education and Training” (CARSEAT) campaign, boosted by an $850,000 federal grant.

The yearlong CARSEAT campaign focuses on reducing the number of children injured or killed in traffic crashes throughout California. To help accomplish this goal, the CHP will host educational seminars, classes, and child safety seat inspections. These efforts will highlight the importance of child passenger restraint by providing education on the proper installation of child passenger safety seats.

“Ensuring the safety of our youngest passengers begins with a simple but critical act – securing them in properly installed child safety seats,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “It is the single most effective way to protect a child in a vehicle crash.”

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 eight years of age. Children under 2 years of age should ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.

For more information regarding child passenger safety, child safety seats, and seat belt regulations, contact your local CHP Area office.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.