Turns out, there’s a lot more to child safety seats than just buckling up. There are safety seats that are backward facing, forward facing, for infants, for toddlers, booster seats and then there are recalls. For the harried parent there’s much to know, and as children grow, the safest positions and equipment change.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and California Office of Traffic Safety provided $91,000 to Butte County to encourage proper usage of child restraint systems. The county will run child safety seat spot checks and parking lot clinics aimed at teaching parents and caregivers how to make every journey by motor vehicle as safe as possible.
County health official Tou Chanh said switching children from safety seats to booster seats when they are too small has contributed to injuries and even deaths.
State law requires children to use a car seat or booster seat until their eighth birthday. Officials recommend the use of a booster seat until a person reaches a height of four foot nine inches.
Reduced price car seats will also be made available to low income residents.
For more information visit the program’s website.