Child Safety Seat Inspection, Education & Enforcement Operation

WHAT:
News conference to announce LAPD traffic enforcement & education initiatives directed to motorist who fail to properly restrain children in car seats.

WHEN:
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
7:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.

WHERE:
The Child Safety Seat Inspection, Education & Enforcement Operation will be conducted in the area of North Hollywood Division as part of the “2011 Pedestrian and Child Safety Campaign.”  Members of the Community Traffic Services Unit will conduct the inspections at the following location:

Valley Plaza Sports Complex parking lot (Whitsett Ave. S/O of Sherman Way)

WHO:
Captain Ivan Minsal, Commanding Officer, Valley Traffic Division
Sergeant Arturo Gomez, Officer-In-Charge, Valley Traffic Division-Community Traffic Services Unit
Police Officer Chad Dellinger, Child Safety Seat Program, Valley Traffic Division
Police Officer Norm Kellems, Child Safety Seat Program, Valley Traffic Division

WHY:
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are 61 million children age 14 and younger in the United States.   Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14 based on 2006 figures which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics.  Every day during 2008 in the United States an average of 4 children 14 years of age or younger were killed in automobile crashes. 529 were injured.

This Operation will be conducted in an effort to promote child safety, promote public awareness on how to install child safety seats properly and to inspect car seats in use by the motoring public for compliance with federal child restraint safety standards.  Certified child seat technicians will verify free of charge the installation of your child seat.  Nine out of 10 child safety seats are installed incorrectly.  Properly used, child safety seats can reduce childhood deaths by as much as 70 percent.  The mobile inspection station will be conducted for families with children ages 0-6 and for those found violating the rules of the road as it pertains to child passenger restraint systems.

For more information, please contact Sergeant Arturo Gomez 805-559-9637 or Valley Traffic Division Watch Commander at 818-644-8010.