BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MG) - Butte County Public Health (BCPH) has been awarded an Office of Traffic Safety Child Passenger Safety grant for $274,000.

The funding enables Butte County Public Health to provide education on the correct installation of car seats and the distribution of no-cost car seats to eligible Butte County residents.

The funding also supports training to certify Child Passenger Safety Technicians in the region. The grant program will run from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025. 

Motor vehicle-related injuries are preventable, yet motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death and disability for children. Butte County data shows that in 2023, there were 1,529 crashes and about 10 percent of those crashes involved children aged 12 years or younger.  

Properly using age and weight-appropriate car and booster seats can reduce the risk of injury by 71 to 82 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Based on inspections done by Butte County Public Health technicians, approximately 65 to 70 percent of car and booster seats are used incorrectly in Butte County. 

To prevent child passenger injuries, Butte County Public Health grant activities for the 2024-2025 year include one-on-one appointments with certified technicians to inspect car seats, child safety seat inspection events and education classes with certified technicians; distribution of free child safety seats to Butte County residents who qualify following education classes; train new Child Passenger Safety Technicians through certification and recertification courses; and collaborate with local organizations to train staff on child passenger safety laws and best practices.

Butte County Public Health encourages parents and caregivers to take advantage of the grant-funded services to ensure child passenger safety. To locate a car seat fitting inspection station or to register for a car seat class, visit the Butte County Public Health Child Passenger Safety website at buttecounty.net/871/Child-Passenger-Safety or call 1-800-339-2941.