If you are carrying children in the car, then their safety should be your top priority. Modern car manufacturers now invest heavily in appropriate safety technology in all production cars, but when it comes to children, additional safety precautions can truly save lives. If you live and/or drive in the state of California, remember: when it comes to child seat safety, it’s the law!
What the law says
A new, stricter, child seat safety law came into effect in 2012. The law states that children under the age of 8 must be properly restrained in an appropriate car seat or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle. Children aged 8 or older, or who are 4-feet 9-inches or taller, may use the vehicle seat belt only if it fits properly. This means that the lap belt must be low on the hips and touching the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt must also cross the center of the child’s chest. If the child is not tall enough to use the proper seat belt, then he or she must continue to use a booster or child seat.
All occupants of the car must be buckled up. For each child that is not adequately restrained, the parents can be fined $475. If the parents are not in the car, then the penalty must be paid by the driver. In both cases, the person paying the penalty can also get a point on his or her driving license.
Vehicles covered
In addition to the regularly-covered vehicles, these restrictions also apply to rental cars. Car rental companies must inform drivers of the regulations before allowing them to rent a vehicle.
Defenses and exceptions
The law permits a court to exempt from these requirements any class of child by age, weight or size if it is determined that the restraint system would be impractical due to physical unfitness, medical condition or size.
A child may also ride up front if there are no rear seats, or if the rear seats are side-facing jump seats. The child may also ride up front if a child restraint system cannot be appropriately installed in the rear, or if every available rear seat is already occupied by a child under the age of 7.
