Child Passenger Safety
The Child Passenger Safety Program focuses on promoting proper safety seat restraint use for children until they transition to the vehicle safety belt (approximately birth through nine years of age), increasing risk perception and correct usage of child restraints among parents and caregivers through outreach and education, providing proper installation education and addressing the barriers that prohibit access to safety devices.
The Program provides income eligible families with education and free child safety seats and booster seats from as early as the third trimester of pregnancy through seven years of age. Community based sites, supported by the Program, provide the public with local access to safety seat installation education and guidance by nationally certified child passenger safety technicians. The program raises the awareness of parents and other caregivers to ensure children are properly restrained every time they are transported in a motor vehicle through multiple venues including a web site specifically for parents and caregivers; initiatives to support the education efforts of healthcare providers; and various campaigns.

What's New

01.12.12 | New Printable Tip Sheets
VDH now has printable tip sheets on a variety of child passenger safety topics. Feel free to print
these tip sheets to share with parents or caregivers that you encounter. ::more
01.10.12 | Distracted Driving Prevention
"Put down the phone. Make sure you are all buckled. Drive Smart." is the message that VDH is promoting to parents and caregivers in observance of Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, 2012. ::more
03.21.11 | AAP and NHTSA Announces New Child Safety Seat Guidelines
New child safety seat guidelines were released by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that recommends slowing the transition from one child restraint type to the next.
The first of five recommendations is that all infants and toddlers should remain in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they outgrow the height and weight limits of the seat. ::more
Contact Us:
Information Line: 1-800-732-8333
Email: injury@vdh.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 864-7732