The Riverside County Sheriff's Office wants Murrieta parents to check their kids' car seats before a new California law adds a fit test for booster seats.
The department is promoting Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs Monday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 27. The campaign highlights proper car seat installation and an upcoming change: starting Jan. 1, 2027, Assembly Bill 435 will require children ages 8 to 16 to pass a "Five-Step Test" before they can legally ride with just a seat belt.
Drivers who can't answer "yes" to all five questions about a child passenger could face a $490 ticket, CalMatters reported when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill in October 2025.
"When it comes to protecting our youngest passengers, there is no room for guesswork," Deputy Ricardo Torres of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said in the department's Sept. 16 announcement. "Child Passenger Safety Week is a good reminder of how critical it is to choose the right car seat and ensure it is installed properly."
What the Five-Step Test checks
Under AB 435, authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson of Suisun City, a child must meet all five criteria to ride without a booster:
- The child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat.
- The child's knees bend comfortably at the seat's edge.
- The seat belt crosses the shoulder between the neck and arm, resting on the collarbone.
- The lap belt sits as low as possible, touching the thighs.
- The child can stay seated that way for the entire trip.
All five must be met.
How AB 435 changes current rules
California already requires children under 8 to ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat, according to the Sheriff's Office. Children 8 and older, or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may use a seat belt alone. AB 435 adds the five-step requirement for the 8-to-16 age group on top of existing rules.
The Sheriff's Office cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data showing 46% of car seats are misused. Properly installed seats reduce fatal crash injuries by 71% for infants under 1 year old and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 through 4, according to the same data.
The department encouraged parents to start using the Five-Step Test now, before it carries legal weight in January. Parents can find car seat safety resources at gosafelyca.org or locate a car seat inspection station through nhtsa.gov and safekids.org.
