The California Highway Patrol is dedicating Sept. 15-21 to promoting child passenger safety across California, focusing on the protection of the state’s youngest road users.

National Child Passenger Safety Week will educate parents and caregivers about the importance of proper child safety restraints. The week emphasizes ensuring that every child is properly secured for every trip, in the right car seat and facing the correct direction based on age, weight and height.

“Properly installed child safety seats offer the best protection for infants and young children,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The CHP is committed to keeping California’s children safe. Our trained car seat experts are available statewide to provide free, personalized instruction on proper car seat installation to help ensure the best fit for your child.”

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Yet, many of these tragedies are preventable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child safety seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants, under one year old and by 54% for toddlers, ages one to four.

Since launching its Child Passenger Safety Program in 1999, the CHP has trained thousands of officers and staff as Child Passenger Safety Technicians. These technicians offer safety seat inspections, education and hands-on training year-round, providing valuable resources to parents and caregivers across the state.

If unsure about how to properly secure a child in a car seat, the CHP encourages residents to visit the nearest CHP Area office and speak with a certified child passenger safety technician. Find the local CHP office using this link.

California law mandates that children under two years old, weighing less than 40 pounds and under 40 inches tall, must be secured in a rear-facing car seat. All children under eight years old must be in a suitable safety seat in the back seat. Safety experts recommend that children remain in the back seat until they reach 13 years of age. For more details on child passenger safety, visit the CHP Child Safety Seat Programs webpage.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service and Security.