SANTA BARBARA —The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Trauma Services and other local agencies will offer free, drive-up child car seat checks from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Franklin Neighborhood Center, 1136 E. Montecito St.
Registration is not necessary.
All parents are encouraged to have their child’s seat inspected by safety experts at Saturday’s event.
Up to 80% of car seats are not properly installed, but Saturday’s event is strictly designed to ensure the correct installation of the seats, according to a news release. No citations will be issued for child car seat violations, and there will be no driver’s license or registration checks.
Vehicles will be inspected on a first-come, first-served basis. COVID safety precautions will be in place, and masks are required.
California state laws require children less than 2 years old be rear-facing unless they weigh 40 pounds or more or are at least 40 inches tall. Also, children under 8 years old must be buckled into a car seat or a booster in the back seat.
Only children who are at least 8 years old and 57 inches tall or taller can ride in the back seat without a booster if the seat belt fits properly.
Saturday’s event is in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and Emergency Management Services, the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department, Car Seat 101 and Safe Kids Santa Barbara County
For more information, call Trauma Services at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital at 805-569-7451 or visit www.cottagehealth.org/seatcheck.
— Katherine Zehnder
