Actor Erik Estrada to Help Deliver Child Safety Warning at April 8 Sacramento Safety Fair

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--April 7, 2006--This Saturday, the California Highway Patrol and 21st Century Insurance are working overtime to ensure Sacramento children ride safely.

As part of a statewide partnership to reduce the leading cause of fatalities among children, the CHP and 21st will bring their consumer child safety seat program to Goore's (Furniture and Accessories for Babies to Teens) at 2700 Marconi Ave. in Sacramento from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, April 8.

California law states all children must be secured in a child passenger restraint (child safety or booster seat) and ride in the back seat of a vehicle until they are either 6 years old or 60 pounds.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children two years of age. NHTSA recently updated their information on improper child safety seat installation. New data show that 80 percent of child safety seats are improperly installed and are a potential source of injury for children, up from 73 percent in 2004.

To help reduce preventable injuries and deaths, the California Highway Patrol and 21st Century Insurance will sponsor a child safety seat fair from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on April 8, at Goore's, 2700 Marconi Ave., Sacramento. Specially trained CHP officers will inspect and, if necessary, replace and install a new child safety seat donated by 21st. Officers will educate parents and caregivers how to use and install the seats. Children must accompany vehicles for proper fitting and will be helped on a first come, first served basis.

Specially trained CHP officers will inspect and, if necessary, replace and install a new child safety seat donated by 21st for local residents. Children must accompany vehicles for proper child safety seat fitting and will be helped on a first come, first served basis. Actor Erik Estrada, best known for his role on the hit TV show "CHiPs," will join fair participants this Saturday to spread the word on child safety seat use.

"Wearing your seat belt and making sure your children are properly buckled up is the best insurance against being killed or seriously injured in many vehicle crashes," said CHP Commissioner Mike Brown.

"I urge all parents to have their child's safety seat inspected," Estrada added. "Just a few minutes could save a life."

Federal statistics show a critical need for education regarding booster seat use:

-- According to recent data from NHTSA, at least 80 percent of children who should ride in booster seats currently do not.

-- NHTSA recommends that children who weigh more than 40 pounds or who have outgrown their 5-point harness system should be placed in a booster seat.

-- Using a booster seat allows the seat belt to be positioned across the child where it is most effective and lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent.

Since 21st premiered its safety initiative in California five years ago, more than 7,000 child safety seats have been inspected throughout six states; 21st has donated more than 5,500 new child safety seats; and more than 2,500 broken, recalled or non-age-appropriate seats have been collected and discarded.

This Saturday's Sacramento event marks the third event of 2006, the fifth year of 21st's partnership with the CHP. Additional events will be held statewide, with date and location information posted regularly at www.21st.com.

To help inform the public, the CHP and 21st have created "Child Safety Seats: A Parent's Guide" to explain proper seat installation and use. The guide, available in English or Spanish, can be obtained at the safety fairs as well as directly from 21st by contacting the company's corporate headquarters at 1-800-211-SAVE or visiting its Web site, www.21st.com/safety.

The guide includes key tips such as the following:

-- All children age 12 and younger should ride properly restrained in the back seat.

-- Never place a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat where a front-mounted passenger air bag is present.