The Automobile Club of Southern California will host a free child passenger safety education workshop at Kaiser Permanente Health Care’s Health Pavilion on Saturday, Jan.18, for parents, expectant parents, grandparents and caregivers of children up to 8 years of age. The interactive workshop provides families information on: child passenger safety laws, how to choose a car seat, how to install a car seat into the vehicle and information on recalls.
The state law requires that children under age eight must be properly buckled into a car seat or booster in the back seat of a vehicle. The Auto Club supported the child passenger safety law.
The health pavilion is located at 200 N. Lewis St., Orange 92668. The 90-minute workshop held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and participants will receive take-home educational materials and information on where to get car seats checked.
Correctly installed safety seats reduce risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers. Correctly buckled in a car seat in the back seat, increases a child’s chance of surviving a crash by 45 percent, according to the Auto Club.
Unfortunately, many parents and caregivers are still not using car seats correctly and it is estimated that four out of five car seats are installed incorrectly. In 2012, California had more 14,000 occupant protection violations for children ages 0 to 16, according to the California Highway Patrol.
“California’s children will be safer if parents and caregivers take the time to learn and know how to correctly use child safety seats and use them correctly every time, for every ride” said Anita Lorz Villagrana, the Auto Club’s manager of community affairs and traffic safety.
The class is for adults only. No car seat installations in vehicles will take place. Participants will receive take-home resources, including information on where to locate local car seat installation technicians and upcoming safety seat inspection events.
Free parking available. Class space is limited and reservations are required by Jan. 13. To register, please go to www.AAA.com/childsafety and for more information call the Auto Club’s Community Affairs and Traffic Safety office at (714) 885-2312.