Pasadena families can get free car seat inspections from the city's Public Health Department, which now has eight certified child passenger safety technicians on staff. The department had zero technicians before the expansion, Pasadena Now reported.

The checks are free.

They are available at community events and by appointment at the department's Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program office, 1845 N. Fair Oaks Ave. The push comes ahead of Child Passenger Safety Week, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) designated for Sunday, Sept. 20, through Saturday, Sept. 26. The week ends with National Seat Check Saturday.

"When it comes to protecting our youngest passengers, there is no room for guesswork," Pasadena Police Lt. Mathew Campeau said in a department release. He urged parents to choose the right seat and confirm it is installed correctly.

NHTSA estimates that 46% of car seats and booster seats are misused. That figure comes from the agency's National Child Restraint Use Special Study, based on 2011 field observations of more than 4,000 vehicles and published in 2015. NHTSA continues to cite it as its benchmark.

What California law requires

Children under 2 must ride rear-facing unless they weigh 40 or more pounds or stand 40 or more inches tall. Children under 8 must ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat. Children 8 and older, or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, must at minimum wear a safety belt.

New law taking effect Jan. 1

Assembly Bill 435 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and adds a five-step seat belt fit test for children ages 8 through 15. Under the new standard, a child must pass all five steps to be considered properly belted.

The child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat with knees bent comfortably at the edge. The shoulder belt crosses the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck. The lap belt sits low across the thighs, not the stomach. The child can stay seated that way for the entire trip.

Campeau encouraged parents to start using the five-step test now, even before the law takes effect.

How to get a free check

Pasadena residents can schedule a free car seat inspection by calling (800) 304-0015 or emailing [email protected]. For more information, contact Lt. Campeau at (626) 744-7159 or visit gosafelyca.org.