CHP secures grant for California Restraint Safety Education and Training grant

The California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) received the California Restraint Safety Education and Training (CARSEAT V) grant to support its ongoing effort to improve child passenger safety. The CHP will use the grant funds to conduct public awareness campaigns, training courses and enhanced enforcement patrols through Sept. 30, 2022.

The CARSEAT V campaign will focus on reducing the number of children killed and injured in traffic crashes throughout the state. The CHP will offer educational seminars, new parent classes and appointments at local offices for child safety seat inspections and assistance with installations. These efforts will highlight the importance of safety seats and seat belts, and provide information on the proper installation of child passenger safety seats.

“We are raising public awareness of the dangers of traveling with children in a vehicle who are not securely buckled into the appropriate child passenger safety seat,” CHP Commissioner, Amanda Ray said. “As a parent or caregiver, it is your responsibility to protect these vulnerable passengers.”

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 8 years old. Children 8 years old and older, who are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may ride in the rear seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted seat belt. Children under 2 years old must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach 40 pounds or 40 inches in height. For more information on child safety seats or current California law, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.

The CHP will be conducting enforcement operations concentrating on seat belt and safety seat violations throughout the year with a special emphasis during the “Click It or Ticket” campaign May 23 through June 5, 2022.