CHP hosting free child safety seat inspections

– The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will offer car seat inspections and education to the community on Sept. 21, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Creekside Center in San Luis Obispo. The free event will feature inspections by certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians who will guide parents and caregivers on selecting the appropriate car seats for their children and instruct them on proper installation and use.

The CHP’s event, focused on child passenger safety, is part of a week-long initiative to promote safety for California’s youngest road users. Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death for children in the United States, and using age and size-appropriate restraints significantly reduces the risk of injury and death. In 2023, more than one-third of child passengers killed in crashes were not in car seats, booster seats, or wearing seat belts. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), many of these deaths could have been prevented if the children had been properly restrained.

The NHTSA advises parents to keep children rear-facing in car seats as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height or weight allowed by the seat’s manufacturer. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat, they should transition to a forward-facing car seat with a harness. After outgrowing the forward-facing seat, children should use booster seats until they can properly fit in a seat belt without assistance. The back seat is the safest place for children under 13.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Creekside Center, located at 4111 Broad St. in San Luis Obispo. All parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact CHP Officer Jordan Richards at (805) 706-3303.