The county Board of Supervisors, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, is expected to declare Sept. 23-29 as Child Passenger Safety Week.
Supervisors Joan Hartmann and Steve Lavagnino will present representatives of First 5 Santa Barbara County and the California Highway Patrol with a formal copy of the proclamation.
Teressa Johnes of First 5, Lt. Mike Brown, Santa Maria Area Commander and Lt. Kirk Kruse Buellton, area commander of the California Highway Patrol will receive the proclamation.
The No. 1 preventable cause of death and injury of children is automobile collisions. Car seat use reduces the risk for death to infants by 71 percent and toddlers (ages 1-4 years) by 54 percent.
Using a booster seat for children 4-8 years of age reduces the risk of serious injury by 45 percent.
Even if children are in a seat, 9 out of 10 car seats are installed improperly. If used correctly, car seats can dramatically reduce the risk of serious and fatal injuries making these statistics preventable.
It’s the law. California requires all occupants of a motor vehicle to be properly secured and children less than 8 years of age be secured in an appropriate child seat, remaining in the back seat until at least age 13.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has issued guidelines on child passenger safety; visit http://www.nhtsa.gov/ChildSafety/Guidance.
For more information on child passenger safety topics or to schedule a car seat check, contact Officer Efrem Moore, 805-349-8728 or your local California Highway Patrol Office.
— Efrem Moore for California Highway Patrol.