In 2002, California Law was changed requiring children to be properly secured in a child seat or booster seat until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds (the old law was 4 years old or 40 pounds). 

Are any changes taking effect in 2005? 

Yes, according to the California Highway Patrol, effective January 1, 2005, children MUST be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) IN THE BACK SEAT OF A VEHICLE until they are at least 6 years old or weigh at least 60 pounds. 

Click here to access more information on this topic from the California Highway Patrol's Web site.

• In 2002, the use of child restraints saved an estimated 376 lives.

• Of the 459 occupant fatalities among children from birth through age 4 in 2002, nearly 40 percent were completely unrestrained.

• During 2002, a total of 1,785 children from birth through age 15 were killed in passenger vehicle crashes. Approximately 54 percent of passenger vehicle occupants in this age group were unrestrained. The breakdown by age group was as follows:

   

  • 40.4 percent of children from birth through age 4 were unrestrained.
  • 48.6 percent of children ages 5 through 9 were unrestrained.
  • 62.3 percent of children ages 10 through 15 were unrestrained.

   

• If 100 percent of motor vehicle occupants younger than age 5 had been protected by child safety seats, an estimated 485 lives (an additional 109 lives) could have been saved in 2002.

• From 1975 through 2002, an estimated 6,567 lives were saved by the use of child restraints (child safety seats or adult belts).

For more information on the above topic from the NHTSA's Web site, click here.

With so many child safety seats, booster seats, seat belts, and vehicles on the market today, it can be difficult to properly install a child safety seat. Parents should have their child safety seats inspected by a trained and certified technician in their community. To find an inspection location or a certified child-passenger-safety technician near you, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

To find out information on the proper car seat for your child, click here to read the U.S. Department of Transportation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Web page, which describes various types of child safety seats.

• National Safe Kids Campaign - www.safekids.org
• California Legislative Information - www.leginfo.ca.gov
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - www.hwysafety.org

• SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A - www.carseat.org
• California Office of Traffic Safety - www.ots.ca.gov
• California Department of Health Services - www.dhs.ca.gov/epic

• AAA Traffic Safety Department - www.ottoclub.org
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people