Driving is a privilege, not a right. A red light camera ticket is bad enough when you’re on your own in the car, but did you know you may get into even more trouble if your children are in the car? This is especially true if you don’t have them strapped in correctly. Check out these guidelines to ensure you’re within the law.
The Basics
In California, kids under eight years old or 4’9″ tall must sit in a federally approved child safety seat during all car rides. They must also be in the rear seat of the car. Older and taller children must be in a seat belt but can sit in the front seat. The law got even more specific in January 2017. Since then, children under two must be in a rear-facing seat unless they are more than 40 pounds or taller than 40 inches. Not following this rule could result in needing a careless driving ticket attorney.
The Child Safety Seats
Any traffic ticket lawyer can tell you there are four tiers when it comes to child safety restraints in cars.
- Rear-facing seats: These are for newborns and toddlers for fall into the “Under 40” guidelines.
- Forward-facing seats: These seats are best for children who have outgrown rear-facing seats but aren’t yet tall enough to be without a car seat.
- Booster seats: Kids who are too tall or weigh too much for traditional car seats can use booster seats to ensure seatbelts fit correctly.
- Adult seat belts: After your child has reached eight years old or is at least 4’9″ tall, he or she can transition to a regular adult seat belt.
Penalties for Illegal Seating
Except in specific situations, there are no exceptions to these rules. People who don’t follow them may end up with more than an illegal U-turn ticket. They could pay hundreds of dollars in fines not to mention put their children in danger.
Hopefully, you never find yourself in an accident. However, if you do end up in a wreck with child passengers in the car, call The Ticket Clinic for the best accident ticket lawyer.
