DPS Recognizes Child Passenger Safety Week

September 27, 2018

HOUSTON – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding motorists to place children into a child passenger safety seat system that is correctly fitted to the child before taking to the roadway. Child safety seat systems are designed to absorb the force of a collision to better protect children from the forces produced in a crash.

Infant child safety seats can be installed into the vehicle with a seat belt or the LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) system. Infants should be rear facing in the vehicle until the child exceeds the height and weight limit for the seat. When transitioning to a forward facing seat, motorists are urged to ensure the child safety seat system properly fits the child.

Booster seats use the vehicle’s seat belt to restrain the child. In these cases, the lap belts should be worn across the child’s pelvic area and shoulder belts should be worn across the child’s upper chest. Often, DPS Troopers find lap belts across the abdominal area of children and the shoulder belts resting against their neck.

When considering a purchase of a safety seat system, always check to see if it fits your vehicle before spending the money.

Texas Law requires children under the age of eight to be secured in some type of child safety seat system, unless the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches.

### (DPS-REGION 2)