New 2027 booster seat rules are coming as San Mateo pushes families to prepare early
San Mateo, California – A car seat can look secure and still be installed incorrectly. That is the concern San Mateo police are highlighting during Child Passenger Safety Week, as families are urged to take another look at how their youngest passengers are buckled in.
The numbers show why that check matters. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46% of car seats are misused, while properly installed seats can reduce fatal injuries by 71% for infants younger than 1 and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 through 4.
The San Mateo Police Department is joining the annual safety campaign from Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, encouraging parents and caregivers to use car seats, booster seats and seat belts that match a child’s age and size.
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As part of the campaign, certified child passenger safety technicians will offer car seat checks on Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 200 Franklin Pkwy. in San Mateo.
Technicians will inspect installations and show parents and caregivers how to properly secure their seats. They will also provide guidance on which type of restraint is appropriate for each child.
California law currently requires children younger than 2 to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall. Children younger than 8 must continue using a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.
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Children who are 8 or older, or who have reached at least 4 feet 9 inches in height, may use a booster seat, but they must at minimum be properly secured with a safety belt.
Another change is approaching. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, AB 435 will require children ages 8 through 16 to pass every part of the “Five-Step Test” before using a seat belt without a booster seat.
SMPD is encouraging families to begin using that test before the new requirement takes effect and to keep children in the proper rear-facing or forward-facing seat for as long as appropriate.
More traffic safety information is available at GoSafelyCA.org.
The program is funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, with funding provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
