The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) awarded the Clovis Police Department a grant earlier this year to cover safety issues on the road. OTS reminds us that every day, children are injured or killed from the improper use of safety restraints. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 39 percent of children under 13 who died in 2013 were unrestrained. In addition, around 24 percent of children aged four to seven were prematurely moved to seat belts instead of the proper restraint. The grant allowed our department to send seven police officers to certified training this week to better serve families in the community to make sure children are properly secured in safety seats that fit the child.

On Saturday, November 7th, the Clovis Police Department will offer a free car safety seat inspection from 10 a.m. until Noon at Clovis Fire Station #5 at 790 N. Temperance Avenue in Clovis. **ALL slots, however, are currently full. Only those with appointments will be served. This event is a free service to the public and is funded in part by the following agencies: AAA Northern California, California Office of Traffic safety, City of Clovis Police Department, County of Fresno Public Health and Exceptional Parents Unlimited.

We anticipate offering more check-ups in the not too distant future as the Office of Traffic Safety grant runs through September of 2016. Other components of the grant include Traffic Safety, Distracted Driving and Seatbelt compliance.