The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced on Apr. 30 that it will increase patrols as part of the Click It or Ticket campaign, running from May 18 to May 31. The effort aims to remind travelers in Moreno Valley and throughout Riverside County to wear seat belts and ensure children are secured in appropriate car seats during travel.
The campaign is important because unrestrained drivers and passengers continue to be at risk for fatal injuries in vehicle crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2023, there were 10,484 people killed in crashes across the United States who were not wearing a seat belt. In California alone, there were 780 such fatalities last year, including 24 children. Unrestrained child fatalities increased by over four percent from the previous year.
Sergeant Marcos Acosta said, “Our priority is protecting the people in our community. Wearing a seat belt or properly securing children in car seats or a booster seat gives everyone a better chance of surviving a crash.” Acosta also said, “We want every trip – short or long – to end safely, so please buckle up, every time.”
California law requires all children under two years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh at least forty pounds or are forty inches tall. Children under eight must be secured in an appropriate car seat or booster unless they meet height requirements or there is no rear forward-facing seating available. Those aged eight and older may use a booster but must wear at least a properly fitted safety belt.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged by officials to keep children in rear- or forward-facing seats as long as possible and use the Five-Step Test before moving them out of booster seats.
Funding for this program comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The sheriff’s office encourages anyone with questions about this initiative to contact its Media Information Bureau.
