Parents must take an extra safety measure when it comes to properly restraining children in motor vehicles, as California requires older children to ride in booster seats. Booster seats are special seats designed to make adult seat belts properly fit young children.
There are two common types of booster seats: high back and low back. If your car's back seat is lower than your child's ears, use the high back seat to help protect his or her head and neck. If your child's back seat is higher than your child's ears, you can use a backless booster seat.
According to the National Highway Transportation System Administration, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children between 5 and 14 years of age.
As of January 1, 2002, California law requires children to ride restrained in a child safety seat until they are six years of age or weigh 60 pounds.
Is your child ready for an adult seat belt?
Parents are encouraged to use the following test to determine whether their child is ready for an adult belt:
- Does the child sit with hips all the way back against the auto seat?
- Does the child's knee bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Is the lap belt on the top part of the thighs?
- Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
- Can the child stay seated in this position for the duration of the trip?
If any of these test questions are not met with a favorable answer, the child should be riding in a booster seat.
What you can do:
Officers from the Temecula Police Department and the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Temecula Station, are qualified to show residents the proper installation of car and booster seats since completing a 32-hour booster seat technician training course approved by the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA).
Please call either Temecula Police storefront for information on scheduled times for booster seat installations.
Old Town Storefront: 951-506-1408
Promenade Mall Storefront: 951-375-3494
Appointments to get your child's seat checked at the Temecula CHP headquarters at 27685 Commerce Center Drive can be made by calling 951-506-2000.
For more information about proper use of child safety seats, upcoming safety seat checkups, or information regarding low-cost seats, parents can call the Office of Traffic Safety at (800) 735-2929, or visit their web site at www.ots.ca.gov. 
|