The grant will allow Butte County Public Health to provide essential resources and education to prevent child passenger injuries and deaths. Designed by Freepik, www.freepik.com

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Butte County Public Health (BCPH) has been awarded a Child Passenger Safety grant for $300,330 from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). The funding enables BCPH to continue educating Butte County parents and caregivers on the proper use of child car seats, ensuring every child travels safely. The funding also supports training to certify Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) in the region. The grant program will run from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2026.

Although motor vehicle crashes are preventable, they remain a leading cause of death and disability for children nationwide. This is especially concerning because about 54% of car and booster seats in Butte County are used incorrectly, based on inspections conducted by Butte County Public Health Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using the proper car or booster seat correctly can reduce a child’s risk of injury by up to 82%.

The grant will allow Butte County Public Health to provide essential resources and education to prevent child passenger injuries and deaths. The Child Passenger Safety program includes one-on-one appointments with certified technicians to inspect car seats, child car seat inspection events and education classes, child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) training and recertification courses, no cost child car seats for families in need and collaboration with local organizations on child passenger safety.

Butte County Public Health encourages parents and caregivers to take advantage of the grant-funded services to ensure the safety of child passengers. To locate a car seat inspection location or to register for a car seat class, please visit the BCPH Child Passenger Safety website: https://www.buttecounty.net/871/Child-Passenger-Safety or call 1-800-339-2941. 

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.