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Editorial: Saving young lives
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More from OpinionFor at least 81 local children, the roadways are a lot safer today.
That's the number of parents who had child-safety seats correctly installed during a free installation and inspection program offered Saturday by the Ventura office of the California Highway Patrol.
In addition, CHP officers found several improperly installed child-safety seats, along with 13 recalled or defective ones, being used by parents. As we wrote in this space last week, if parents were unable to attend the free inspection event, they can make an appointment by calling the CHP at 477-4133.
Besides making sure children are safely restrained while riding in a car or truck, the free program gave CHP officers an opportunity to educate parents on the proper use of child-safety seats and seat belts.
If correctly installed, these seats will protect a child from injury by helping to absorb the impact from a crash. They will also hold a child in place, preventing him or her from being thrown from the vehicle or from being thrown around inside.
In California, children are required to ride in approved infant or booster seats until they are at least 6 years old or weight at least 60 pounds.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 7,896 children under the age of 5 were saved from 1975 to 2005 by the use of safety belts and child-safety seats.
However, to work, they must correctly fit a child, be compatible with the vehicle and be properly installed. It takes so little time, yet, it can save a young life.
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