FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2025
Deputy G. Dominguez
(760) 240-7400
[email protected]
Buckle Up for Safety This Thanksgiving
Wear your seat belt every trip, every time
Apple Valley, Calif. – As families and friends prepare to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, Apple Valley Police reminds drivers and passengers to Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time. Whether you're taking a long drive across the country or a shorter trip around town to celebrate, wearing your seat belt is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023, 309 people were killed in traffic crashes across the nation, and 44% were not wearing seat belts.
"The Thanksgiving holiday is the start of a special time of year for so many people,” Deputy G. Dominguez said. “No matter how long or short your drive, it’s important that drivers and passengers wear a seat belt. We want everyone to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Please, make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled before you ever turn on the car, including children being in the correct car seats, too.”
California law requires all children under two years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless the child is 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall. Once a child reaches these milestones, all children under the age of eight years old are still required to be secured in a car seat or booster seat, in the back seat. Children eight and older, or who are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to keep children in the proper rear or forward-facing seat as long as possible and use the “Five-Step Test” to determine if their child is big enough to safely use a seat belt without a booster seat. CDPH California Laws - Keep your Child Safe in the Car
