The Oceanside Police Department is using Child Passenger Safety Week as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of correct car seat usage among local families. The awareness campaign, running from September 21 through 27, focuses on helping parents and caregivers ensure children travel safely with appropriate restraints.
Officer Kevn Clark of the department stressed that protecting young passengers requires careful attention to detail. He noted that the week serves as an important reminder for families to verify they have selected appropriate car seats and that those seats are correctly installed in their vehicles.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that close to half of all car seats are used incorrectly. When installed properly, these safety devices dramatically reduce crash fatalities—by 71% for infants younger than one year and by 54% for children between ages one and four.
Under current California regulations, children under two must ride in rear-facing seats unless they exceed 40 pounds or 40 inches in height. All children under eight years old must use a car seat or booster in the rear seat. Older children or those standing at least four feet nine inches tall must use at minimum a safety belt.
New legislation taking effect in January 2027 will require children ages eight through sixteen to meet all criteria of a "Five-Step Test" before transitioning away from booster seats. Authorities recommend parents begin using this test as a guideline before it becomes mandatory.
Families seeking guidance on car seat safety can contact Officer Clark at 760-465-4679 or via email. Additional traffic safety resources are available through the state's Go Safely California website.