Hawthorne, Calif. – On September 14th, the Hawthorne Police Department will be out looking for drivers and passengers who are not wearing their seat belt. This also includes drivers who do not secure children in child safety seats.

“Buckling up is your best defense in the event of a crash, and only takes a few seconds,” Hawthorne Police Chief Michael Ishii said. “Same goes for car seats. Children should be as safe as possible when riding in the car, and one major way to do that is to make sure they are secured in the correct car seat.”

Under California law, children under two years old who weigh under 40 pounds or are under 40 inches tall must ride in a rear-facing car seat. Children under the age of eight or under 4’ 9” tall must be secured in a car or booster seat.

To find a car seat fitting station near you, visit the California Office of Traffic Safety website, or California Highway Patrol’s office finder.

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