Boost your kids!

Over the next year, Butte County Public Health will be touting the importance of child passenger safety, especially using a booster seat until the children are old enough to use a seat belt.

Motor accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in children under the age of 13, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk factors include improper use of a child restraint, using a seat belt rather than a car seat, and children sitting in the front seat of the vehicle.

In an attempt to address those risk factors, the “Get Them Boosted” grant, awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, will direct $112,127 to educational activities throughout the county, including free car seat classes, car seat fitting appointments and car seat checkup events, according to a BCPH press release.

To view a schedule of events or register for a class, go to tinyurl.com/getthemboosted.