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VIRGINIA'S CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY LAWS
VIRGINIA'S CHILD RESTRAINT DEVICE LAW
(Code of Virginia Article 13 - Section 46.2)
The major requirements of Virginia's Child Safety Seat Law:
- Effective July 1, 2007: Child restraint devices are required for children through the age of seven (until 8th birthday). Safety seats must be properly used and approved by Department of Transportation standards.
- Effective July 1, 2007: Rear-facing child restraint devices must be placed in the back seat of a vehicle. In the event the vehicle does not have a back seat, the child restraint device may be placed in the front passenger seat only if the vehicle is either not equipped with a passenger side airbag or the passenger side airbag has been deactivated.
- Effective July 1, 2007: Children can no longer ride unrestrained in the rear cargo area of vehicles.
- The law applies to anyone (i.e. parents, grandparents, babysitters, friends) who provides transportation for a child in any vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1968. Public transportation (taxis, buses), regulation school buses, and farm vehicles are exempted.
- The child restraint law is primary enforcement -- no other violation need be committed prior to ticketing for failure to have a child in an approved seat.
- A $50 civil penalty fine is imposed for failure to have a child in a child restraint device. A $20 civil penalty fine is assessed when persons transporting a child exempted from this law due to medical reasons do not carry a written statement of the exemption. All fines collected go into a special fund to purchase safety seats for low-income families.
- There are assistance programs for low-income residents who cannot afford a safety seat. Contact Virginia Department of Health, Division of Injury and Violence Prevention at 1-800-732-8333 for more information.
VIRGINIA'S PASSENGER SAFETY BELT LAW
(Code of Virginia Article 12 - Section 46-2)
The major requirements of Virginia's Child Safety Belt Law:
- Effective July 1, 2007: Children age 8 through age 15 (until age 16) must be belted correctly in vehicle safety belts, in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968. Exemptions are taxicabs, school buses, executive sedans and limousines.
- This safety belt law is primary enforcement -- no other violation need be committed prior to ticketing for failure to have a child correctly buckled up.
- A $50 civil penalty fine will be imposed. All fines collected go into a special fund to purchase safety seats for low-income families.
VIRGINIA'S PICKUP TRUCK LAW
(Code of Virginia Section 46.2 - 1094)
- No person under age 16 shall be transported in the rear cargo area of a pickup truck.
- There are exemptions for certain parades and farming operations.