Four local organizations joined forces on February 27 to keep the children of Fallbrook safer. "Think First" North County/Temecula Valley joined with North County Fire Protection District, the California Highway Patrol and Fallbrook Healthcare District to provide 150 automobile booster seats to lower-income families. The seats were distributed in the cafeteria/auditorium of Maie Ellis Elementary School.

Booster seats are designed to protect preschoolers and children up to the age of 8. Booster seats help children fit correctly in lap-shoulder belts. Booster use has been proven to reduce seatbelt-related injuries. Most average-sized children under about age 8 do not fit seatbelts well. This can result in severe injury to the child.

Explorers with North County Fire measured the height and weight of children who attended the event in order to determine Advertisement

Youngren Construction Inc. which type of safety restraint they should be using in an automobile. Certified child passenger safety techs were on hand to provide education to the parents and caregivers on the proper use of child safety restraints in motor vehicles and review the proper way to use the booster seats.

The 5-Step Seatbelt Test

Is your child big enough for a seatbelt?

Can he or she…

• …sit straight against your vehicle seat back?

• …bend legs naturally at edge of the seat?

• …sit comfortably without slouching for entire ride?

• …keep lap belt down on hips, touching thighs?

• …sit with shoulder belt on center of shoulder (if the child’s seating position has a shoulder belt)?

If you answer "no" to any of these questions, your child is not big enough to use a seatbelt.

Courtesy of SafetyBeltSafe USA