DPS NEWS

2020 Child Passenger Safety Week

For Immediate Release

Free car seat checks and an updated website mark this year’s CPS Week

Parents can locate inspection stations and seat belt safety resources at clickit.utah.gov

SALT LAKE CITY (September 16, 2020)—Child passenger safety (CPS) week is September 20-26, 2020. With 60 percent of car seats not installed correctly, this week is dedicated to educating parents and caregivers on correct seat belt safety laws and ensuring children are secured in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. 

To find a nearby inspection location where parents can get socially distanced or virtual assistance and guidance from CPS technicians, a digital map is available on clickit.utah.gov. Technicians help parents/caregivers determine if their child is in the right seat for their age and size. Technicians also provide one-on-one education and explain the importance of registering car seats with their manufacturers in case of a recall. Parents can contact organizations involved in child passenger safety for specific details. 

CPS week will look a little different this year due to COVID-19, but to ensure the same essential information and assistance is available, the clickit.utah.gov website has been updated with extensive resources on how to verify loved ones are correctly buckled. These resources include step-by-step instructions on how to properly install car seats and boosters, correct seat belt usage for teens and adults as well as how to become a certified CPS technician.

Child passenger safety remains an issue on our roadways: 

• Every 32 seconds, a child under the age of 13 in a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash (Source: NHTSA)
• Road injuries are the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children in the United States
• Correctly used, child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent. (Source: SafeKids.org)

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Media Contact:

Lieutenant Nicholas Street

Utah Highway Patrol PIO

nstreet@utah.gov

801.554.5659