Car Seat Services and Safety Tips | UC Davis Trauma Prevention and Outreach

Car Seat Services

Car Seat Appointments

Car seat checkup appointments are available in English and Spanish for parents and caregivers that want to be sure their car seat is installed correctly. The public can make an appointment and one of our certified car seat technicians will provide a one-on-one car seat installation lesson in your car. Click below or call 916-734-9798 to request an appointment.

For a list of other agencies offering checkup appointments in the Sacramento region, please use the Sacramento Area Car Seat Resource Guide

Car Seat Classes

mom and baby with car seat Community car seat classes are available in English and Spanish through Zoom. Classes cover the California car seat law, car seat weight and height limits, proper car seat harness use, and car seat installation.

To qualify to receive a car seat, the parent or caregiver must be in need of a car seat for the child and receive government assistance (e.g. WIC, Cal Fresh, Medi-Cal or Cal Works). After attending a class, the parent or caregiver will schedule an appointment to receive the car seat and have it fitted in their car.

To enroll in a class contact :
Trauma Prevention at: 916-734-9798 or email hs-trauma.prevention@ucdavis.edu.

Car Seat Safety Guide

UC Davis Health Car Seat Safety Guide fliers provide basic car seat safety tips and contact information for local car seat programs.

Car Seat Safety

California Law

California state law requires children to be correctly restrained:

In a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old OR 4'9" tall.
Children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 pounds OR is 40 or more inches tall.
All children 8 years and under must be restrained in the back seat.

The Right Way for Your Child to Ride

3 out of 4 car seats are used incorrectly, learn how to do it right!

More Information

Infants and Toddlers

Rear-Facing-Infants and Toddlers

All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 years old or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Forward-Facing-Toddlers and Preschoolers

Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the child car seat.

School-aged Children

School-aged Children

When your child outgrows the forward-facing child car seat, it's time to use a belt positioning booster seat with the car's lap and shoulder belt. Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat-belt properly.

Older Children

Seat Belts-Older Children

The seat belt fits properly when the lap belt lies snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt lies snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.