Services Include:
- Free car seats for low-income families who live in Orange County
- Eligibility includes participation in WIC, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, CalFresh, Free and Reduced Priced School Lunch Program
- Help to install your car seat from a certified car seat technician
- Educational classes for parents/caregivers and service providers
- Court-referred car seat class (i.e., for a parent/caregiver issued a car seat violation ticket)
For additional referrals to free car seats, classes, and inspections check out the Orange County Child Passenger Resource Guide.
For more information about the Car Seat Safety Program, contact Susanna Onofre at PublicHealthNursing@ochca.com or (714) 834-7747.
Current California Child Passenger Safety Law
- Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.
- Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 4’9” in height must be secured by a safety belt.
- Children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds OR is 40 or more inches tall. The child shall be secured in a manner that complies with the height and weight limits specified by the manufacturer of the car seat.
- Passengers who are 16 years of age and over are subject to California's Mandatory Seat Belt law.
Dangers In and Around Cars and Kaitlyn's Law
It is against California Law to leave a child who is 6 years of age or younger alone in the car without the supervision of a person at least 12 years old if:
- The keys are in the ignition, or the car is running, or
- There is a significant risk to the child.
Children are at greatest risk of being injured when vehicles are moving forward or backing out of a driveway. Know the blind spots of your vehicle.
Look before you lock: always check that you have not left a child in the back seat. Children can quickly overheat and die if they are left in a vehicle.
Resources
California Laws - Keep Your Child Safe In the Car Brochures
California CPS Parent Brochure (PDF) in: English | Arabic | Chinese | Dari | Hmong | Pashto | Punjabi | Russian | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
Page Last Updated: June 20, 2024
