The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is continuing its efforts to ensure drivers, passengers, and children are properly restrained while traveling California’s roadways. The CHP has partnered with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) on a new traffic safety campaign entitled, “California Occupant Restraint Education” (CORE).

The CORE campaign will continue for one year and focus on reducing the number of unrestrained and improperly restrained drivers, passengers, and children killed in traffic collisions throughout California. To accomplish this goal, the CHP will host educational training, provide public information, and conduct child safety seat inspections. These efforts will highlight the importance of seat belt and child passenger restraint usage and provide education related to the proper installation of child passenger safety seats.

Effective Jan. 1, 2017, California law will require all children under two years of age to ride in a rear-facing child safety seat. Additionally, California law will continue to require a child be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat in the rear seat of a vehicle until they are at least eight years of age. Children age eight and older, who are at least four feet nine inches, should continue to ride in the rear seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted seat belt.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child passenger safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 72 percent for infants and by 63 percent for toddlers in passenger cars.

“The CHP is committed to educating drivers and passengers about the benefits of seat belts and child passenger safety seats,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Buckling up and securing children in an appropriate child passenger safety seat goes a long way toward keeping you and your loved ones safe in the event of a traffic collision.”

In addition to educational efforts, the CHP will continue to conduct enforcement operations focused on occupant restraint violations throughout the year with a special emphasis during the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign and national Child Passenger Safety Week.

For more information regarding seat belts, seat belt regulations, child passenger safety, or child safety seats, contact your local CHP Area office.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.