News Conference to Promote National Child Passenger Safety Week and to Demonstrate Proper Child Car Seat Installation NA14160SF

September 17, 2014

WHAT:   
News conference to bring awareness to the proper installation of child safety seats and the common errors made by parents and caregivers.   

WHEN:   
Thursday, September 18, 2014
8:45 a.m.  
        
WHERE:      
Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division
7870 Nollan Place
Panorama City, California  91402
        
WHO:            
City Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Council District 2
Captain Maureen Ryan, Commanding Officer, LAPD Valley Traffic Division
Captain Kevin Gordon, California Highway Patrol
Chief Steven Zipperman, Los Angeles School Police Department
General Manager Rushmore Cervantes, Housing & Community Investment Department
        .                   
WHY:        
September 14th through September 20th 2014, is National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13-years-old.  Many times deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts.

For reference, 73% of all installed car seats in vehicles on the road today are installed incorrectly.  The City of Los Angeles as well as LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division (VTD) is heavily involved in improving that number in an effort to make our children safer.

•    Car seat use reduces the risk for death to infants (less than one-year) by 71%; and to toddlers (ages 1 to 4-years-old) by 54% in passenger vehicles.
•    Booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children ages
4 to 8, when compared with seat belt use alone.
•    For older children and adults, seat belt use reduces the risk for death and serious injury by approximately half.

During the news conference, VTD along with Councilmember Paul Krekorian, the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles School Police and Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department will provide information regarding community outreach programs and demonstrate the proper use of car seats for infants and children.
    
For more information, please contact Sergeant Stephen Egan, Valley Traffic Division at 818-644-8146.