Published on January 20, 2026
On Sunday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., certified child passenger safety technicians will partner with the Menlo Park Police Department to check car seat installations in the parking lot in front of the Recreation Center (700 Alma St.). Properly installed car seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury crashes by 71% for infants under a year old and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 through 4. The technicians will teach parents and caregivers how to install car seats correctly and will also provide guidance on selecting the appropriate seat based on a child’s age and size. No appointments are required. “Every child deserves to travel safely,” Sergeant Ferguson said. “We urge all parents and caregivers to know for sure that their children are in the right seats and that those seats are installed correctly. Keeping a child in the right seat for their age and size can make all the difference in a crash.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of car seats (46%) are misused. Properly installed car seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury crashes by 71% for infants under a year old and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 through 4. California law requires all children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless the child is 40 or more pounds or is over 40 inches tall. Once a child reaches these milestones, all children under the age of 8 years old are still required to be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat. Children 8 years old and older or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt. Email Sergeant Ferguson at mnferguson@menlopark.gov to learn more about the car safety seat installation event or to make an appointment. Visit gosafelyca.org for more traffic safety information.