Motor vehicle crashes claim the lives of more children in the United States than any other cause of death even though most motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries are preventable.

Ensuring the safety of child passengers is a sound policy decision — one that supports the health and safety of young children and reinforces safe transportation practices among families and communities. In a recommendation to the Arizona legislature, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) urged policymakers to enact legislation requiring children who are between 5 and 8 years old and who are 4’9" or shorter to be properly secured in a belt-positioning child restraint system ("booster seat"). Child safety advocates across the state supported the measure and, as the 2012 legislative session concluded, Arizona passed HB 2154 and joined the majority of states that require booster seats or other appropriate devices for children who have outgrown their child safety seats but are still too small to safely use an adult seat belt.

Arizona law requires that children in vehicles must be properly restrained. Title 28 of Arizona Revised Statutes deals with Transportation and includes child restraints.

If you or someone you know is in need of a car seat, Pinetop Fire has teamed up with Navajo County to offer free car seats. There is a 30-minute video and test requirement for the free car seat. For more information please contact: Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Keith Plympton at 928-367-2199.