This program uses the highly visible law enforcement model, which begins with intensive public education, to inform people that law enforcement will not respect seat belts. As a result of this publicity wave, law enforcement patrols nationwide are focusing on people driving without appropriate restrictions. When this program began in 2002, only 82 percent of drivers in Washington wore their seat belts. After the first round of Click it or Ticket, the rate rose to 92%. In the years that followed, it continued to rise to 95%, one of the highest in the country where it stayed. Before I had my children, I was a paralegal. I know how to find the right laws in the blink of an eye and how to translate lawyers` jargon so everyone understands. Children up to 13 years old should get in the back seat if possible. So if you want to know the booster seat laws, when you can go ahead or use the seat requirements with taxis, below are the answers and other pressing questions.
Location in the car: The law states that children under 13 years old should sit in the back if it suits them, as there is a back seat, it is not occupied by smaller children, etc. The Washington Seat Belt Laws came into effect on January 12, 2002. They`ve come a long way since then, but for example, the American Academy of Pediatrics provides scientific evidence that kids are 500% safer in a rear-facing car seat until they pass it. Vehicles equipped only with seat belts are exempt from the obligation to use a booster seat. Q: What if we have a large family and the four children under the age of 13 don`t fit in the back seat? of all road fatalities involved someone who was not wearing a seat belt. For more information on choosing the safest seat for your child, please call 1-800-BUCK-L-UP toll-free. The booster seat law in Washington State is pretty clear. Your child should sit in a booster seat between the ages of 4 and 8 or until they reach 57 inches. However, the law allows extended booster seats up to the age of 12, if the child is suitable and safe. A: The Washington Child Restraint Act applies to vehicle occupants up to the age of 16.
The upcoming changes will apply until age 13; if they can legally drive in the front seat of the vehicle. At that time, his body had time to mature; His cartilage has strengthened to become bolder, the intercostal muscles of the chest are strengthening, fat is growing to protect his internal organs, and his body has become proportional to the size of his head. Law enforcement will focus on children under the age of 12, as they are more likely to be injured in the event of an accident. Q: I am having trouble finding a suitable reminder for my child who is 7 years old and weighs over 100 pounds. Any suggestions? Certified child seat technicians will assess the appropriate age and size of your seat, proper installation and use, and recalls. This screening is highly recommended for all parents and other caregivers. Learn how to install and use your car seat safely. A: The Washington Child Restraint Systems Act RCW 46.61.687 provides an exception for vehicles without a rear seat; or seats where child restraint systems cannot be installed. Most vehicles without a rear seat offer the option to deactivate the passenger-side airbag. For more information on proper use, refer to the vehicle owner`s manual. Children over 4`9″ must be fastened by a securely fastened seat belt (generally 8 to 12 years old). The weight required for a booster seat in Washington State is 40 pounds.
Q: My truck (or car) doesn`t even have a back seat. Does this mean I can`t carry my 10-year-olds because they would be sitting in the front seat? Under Washington law, all children under the age of 13 must sit in the back seat. Thirteen is the main requirement for any child who wants to sit on the front lines in Washington State. The shoulder straps must be used with booster seats at all times! A child is only exempt from the legal booster seat if they weigh 40 pounds or more and are in a vehicle equipped with lap belts. of children under the age of 13 were driving illegally in the front seat, according to the 2014 observation survey. If your child is under 16 years old and does not pass the 5-step test that ensures the correct use of the seat belt; You can choose whether they should continue with a booster seat. How can I report children who do not sit in car seats, I have neighbors, like sometimes having 2 toddlers and a very young child never in a car seat and sometimes baby on the lap on the front seat arrives every day. The minimum age for the front seat in Washington is only 13, which is in line with automakers` rules. Here`s a great explanation of why. In Washington state, it is legal for children to ride in a child seat until they are 4 feet, 9 inches (57 inches) tall. Most children will need a booster seat until they are 10 to 12 years old. Children under the age of 13 should drive in the back seat if possible.
Washington laws state that children under the age of 2 must travel in the rear-facing car seat. Rear-facing seats must be approved by the federal government and placed in the back of the car seat. That`s why it`s so important to follow car seat laws. We`ve covered that for you on this page – along with other helpful resources for keeping your little ones safe in your car: Children 8 years old or at least 4`9″ wearing a seat belt MUST use it properly (never under the arm or behind the back) or continue to use a booster seat. If your child has become too tall for convertible car seats or forward-facing car seats and meets the minimum requirements of the car seat manufacturer, you can use booster seats, anyway, they will have to ride in the back seat until their 13th birthday. The position of the front passenger seat is fixed for the rear seat of children under 13 years of age. The WA Car Seats Act requires children to ride in a car seat until they are at least 4 years old or have reached the maximum height or weight specified by the manufacturer. A: School buses are exempt from the Child Restraint Systems Act. We all know the big yellow buses that regularly take children to school.
One of the main reasons seat belts are not mandatory on all school buses is that buses are statistically relatively safe. They are tall, tall, have flashing red lights, cross mirrors, reinforced sides, bright color and stop arms. In addition, they have a “seal” – the interior of the large bus provides protection for occupants without seat belts. Some states are increasing seat belt requirements on school buses, and Washington has begun talks. Q: I have a 14-year-old child who is 4`8″ tall. Do they need to use a booster? Children up to the age of 2 must be properly restrained in a rear-facing car seat. NOTE: Doctors and safety experts recommend that children get into booster seats until the knees and shoulder strap fit properly, usually when they are at least 4`9″ tall or about 8 years old. Q: My mother is 43 years old, but only 4`8″; Does he need a booster seat? A: The Washington Child Restraint Act includes exceptions for large families.
If the rear seats are occupied by properly secured children, you can allow a child to sit in the front seat. Continue to make sure they are properly secured (NEVER rear-facing in front of an airbag); However, they can be front-facing and moved as far as possible from the dashboard/windshield to the rear. “If a child under sixteen years of age is transported in a motor vehicle in use that is required to be equipped with a single-seat passenger seat belt system in accordance with RCW 46.37.510, or is transported in an electric vehicle or an electric vehicle at medium speed in operation, the driver of the vehicle shall properly stop the child.” According to Washington State law, children up to the age of 8 or 4`9 years in A restraint system that meets the standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation and must be secured in the vehicle in accordance with the instructions of the vehicle manufacturer and the car seat manufacturer. Autumn lost her four-year-old son Anton Skeen in a rollover collision. Anton was using a seat belt in accordance with state laws at the time. However, because seat belts are designed for adult bodies, he slipped out of his seat belt and was thrown out of the vehicle and crushed in the collision. Children up to their 8th birthday, unless they are 4`9″ tall (whichever comes first), must ride in a child restraint system. (For example, a child seat, booster seat, vest or other restraint system approved for use in the car.) Outside of Washington, laws regarding child safety restrictions vary from state to state.
The Governors Highway Safety Association provides an overview of state-to-state restriction laws.