Court Referral Car Seat Program

Court Referral Car Seat Program Calendar

The Court Referral Car Seat Program grant was awarded to the Pacific Safety Council through the County of San Diego which allows the San Diego Superior Courts to offer an education class to those individuals that receive a ticket for violating a Motor Vehicle seat belt or car seat code. This class will educate on the proper use of seat belts along with the proper use of car seats and booster seats for children. The participant not only receives a certificate at the completion of the course but also obtains vital education on why seat belt usage is so important, why using a car seat the right way every time is so important and when to use a booster seat at the appropriate age, weight and height. The Pacific Safety Council is honored to have the opportunity to serve the community with this contract through the County of San Diego.

Using child safety seats and seat belts correctly is the most effective way to reduce injuries and deaths to both children and adults. Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of injury and death for children and adults. Most people think they are using their car seat correctly and even though the law for California is 6 years old or 60 pounds that does not protect our children enough while riding in a car. Seat belts are designed for adults, not children. The height for someone to be BEST protected is 4 feet 9 inches tall.

Unfortunately, there is so much more to it than that: Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians usually find an average of 3-5 mistakes per child safety seat while checking a child safety seat for proper installation.

Current Law- 27360 CVC - Any child under the age of 6 years old or under 60 pounds is required to be properly restrained in an appropriate child passenger safety seat. This could be a car seat with the internal harness system or a belt positioning booster. If you are not using these seats properly or your passenger is not wearing their seat belt properly, you will get a ticket.

New Child Passenger Law

Children must be secured in the back seat of a vehicle until they are either 6 years old or 60 pounds. Children who have outgrown their child safety seats need to use a belt-positioning booster usually through 40-80 pounds. Many children still ride in the front seats of vehicles after they turn 6 years old…with or without an air bag or the on/off switch that some vehicles now have, this is still very dangerous.

For more information on child safety seat check-ups, please click here..