Office of Traffic Safety and UC Davis Police Department Announce Grant and Remind Families About Holiday Travel Safety for Kids in Car Seats

The UC Davis Police Department has received a grant for $82,935 from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support efforts to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of child safety seats. Grant activities will be conducted by the UC Davis Health Injury and Violence Prevention Program. The grant program runs through September 2025.

"We are thrilled to receive this grant to support our child safety seat education program,” said Jennifer Rubin, UC Davis Health injury prevention specialist. “Proper use of child car seats can dramatically reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash. With this funding, we can provide hands-on training, resources, and support so that every family has the knowledge and tools to keep their children safe."

This grant announcement is timely as families prepare for holiday travel. 

Rubin reminds families to buckle up before every ride, every time, whether it’s a long trip to visit family or around the block to see holiday lights. Check your child’s car seat or booster for proper installation before your trip begins. Wearing bulky clothes or winter coats can prevent a snug fit of a car seat harness. Buckle up, then add coats or blankets over the top of your child.

Grant funds will be used to urge families to be safe throughout the year with a variety of community outreach efforts, education classes and training on the installation and use of child safety seats. The car seat safety program includes: 

• Child safety seat inspection appointments and education classes.
• Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) training and recertification courses.
• Child Passenger Safety Technician training on transporting children with special health care needs.
• Child safety seats at no-cost for families in need.

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