Identification

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission has passed laws that protect all children between the ages of 0 and 16. These laws state that a minor child must be provided with the proper restraints whenever they are traveling in a motor vehicle. The child seat belt laws are further enforced by the laws governing each of the individual states.
  
  

Features

• The child seat belt laws focus on five featured age groups. Children under the age of one, or under twenty pounds; the one to three age group weighing over 20 pounds; ages four through nine under four feet nine inches; children ages nine through twelve who are over four feet nine inches and finally the 13 through age 15 children's group. Each of the age groups is protected under a set of guidelines that specifically defines the proper devices and restraints that are to be used to protect underage automobile passengers.
  
  

Types

• The type of restraint required varies by age group. In the first category of children, those under the age of one and less than 20 pounds, a rear facing child safety seat is required. For the age group that is between one and three years of age and exceeding 20 pounds, a forward facing child safety seat is required. Ages four through eight and under four feet nine inches are required to be restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat. Ages nine through twelve and exceeding four feet nine inches should be seated in the back seat and secured with a standard seat belt system. The age 13 through 15 categories of passengers are required to wear a standard seat belt with no seating restrictions.
  
  

Considerations

• If you have a young child that travels in your automobile via a child safety seat, you may wish to take advantage of one of the child safety seat checks in your area. These checks are often conducted by fire and rescue departments throughout the country. For information about when the next child safety seat check will be in your area, contact your local fire department.
  
  

Warning

• States have imposed fines for those drivers who have been caught driving without the proper restrains for children that are passengers in their cars. In some states the fines can exceed $50 or more. And the fines don't stop there. Even if a parent is not driving the motor vehicle, yet present, he is still subject to fines for failure to protect his child while they are passengers in a car.