Like onesies and diapers, your current child car seat won’t hold your little one forever. You’ll have to ensure they have not outgrown the car seat as they get a little older. Virginia’s car seat regulations are designed to keep up with a child’s rapid development, guiding you to know when it’s time for a replacement.
Holding onto an old seat to save money or because it’s too inconvenient to change may put you at risk of receiving a traffic violation and endangering your child.
Virginia car seat regulations that parents should know
As your child grows, their seating needs evolve. Both their sitting position and weight will change, impacting the effectiveness and comfort of their car restraint system. Adjusting their seat to match their requirements will help keep them safe and relaxed while traveling.
Virginia helps specify when to use a specific type of car seat.
- Rear-facing safety seat: Ideal for infants until they turn two or until they meet the minimum weight or height requirement for a forward-facing seat based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
- Forward-facing safety seat: Once the child outgrows their rear-facing seat, they are ready to switch to a forward-facing seat. The Virginia Department of Health recommends using a seat with a five-point harness as much as possible.
- Booster seat: Similarly, parents should switch to a booster seat when the child surpasses the limits of their forward-facing seat and keep using it until they turn eight years old.
At eight, children can start sitting in the vehicle provided that the seat belts fit them correctly. Otherwise, they should keep using the booster seat.
Consequences of not using the correct child car seat
Ignoring Virginia’s car seat laws could lead to a $50 fine for a first offense and up to $500 for subsequent offenses.
Moreover, motor vehicle accidents continue to be a leading cause of death among children. Tragically, a significant number of children who lost their lives in these accidents were not restrained at all.
Securing a child into a properly fitting car seat might appear to be a simple task, but it is one that some parents fail to prioritize. The cost of car seats and the effort of keeping up with the rules can be a bit of a headache, but it’s a small price to pay for your child’s safety.
If you have received a ticket for violating traffic laws, a lawyer can help explain your legal options or explore strategies that may help minimize the consequences of the citation.
