CHP Brings Awareness to Child Passenger Safety Week

HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM)- Child Passenger Safety Week started yesterday and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is educating the community and offering services to people and young parents on the importance of properly installing car seats.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. In 2020, 90 children under the age of 13 died as a result of car crashes in California. 

“Proper use of carseats is huge. Locally, we have a coalition of different organizations with numerous carseat technicians for the community. If they’re not used properly and the child is not belted in properly, it’s not going to be as effective or effective at all,” said Paul Craft, PIO at the California Highway Patrol.

They also reported when doing inspections, parents or caregivers are confident they correctly installed the carseat. However, after being checked, 46% of the time they are found to be installed incorrectly. 

 The CHP and Humboldt Bay Fire provide both car seat checks and installations.

“Eureka does have a high collision rate. We don’t have a ton of crashes where luckily children are injured or killed. Our streets are a little bit slower and that helps but we are taking this month to spread awareness to this issue in California,” Brittany Powell, Crime Analyst and PIO, Eureka Police Department.

At the CHP Child Safety events this week, car seat technicians will provide free inspections, classes and hands-on training for parents and guardians. These services are offered all year long by appointment at any CHP office.