During Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 18-24, the Newport Beach Police Department will help parents and caregivers with installing child safety seats.
On Saturday Sept. 24, the Newport Beach Police Department will have certified child passenger safety technicians available to check car seat installations. The technicians will teach parents and caregivers how to install the car seat correctly, as well as educate them on the appropriate seat based on the child’s age and size.
“We are here to offer parents and caregivers guidance and reassurances that their child is as safe in a car seat as possible while riding in the car,” Newport Beach Police Departmen, Lieutenant, Eric Little said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of car seats (46 percent) are misused.
Child Passenger Safety Week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on Sept. 24. The Newport Beach Police Department will be hosting a Car Seat Check event from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Bonita Canyon Sports Park in Newport Beach. This is by appointment only and all slots have been filled.
California law requires all children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless the child is 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall. Parents are encouraged to keep your child in rear- and forward-facing seats as long as possible. Children 8 and older, who are at least 4 feet, 9 inches in height, may ride in the back seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted safety belt.
To learn more about the Newport Beach Police Department car seat program, contact Crime Prevention Specialist, Sara Verschueren at sverschueren@nbpd.org
You may also contact your local CHP Area Office to schedule a free child safety seat inspection: https://www.chp.ca.gov/find-an-office.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
