Car seat requirements by state? - NEW QUESTION AT END OF MESSAGES

[ajrivers]

Hi guys.

My brother is coming for a visit after the baby is born and bringing his two kids...I need to find out what the specific Virginia requirements are (right now all I've been concerned with is the infant stuff) so they can either bring with them or I can go by in advance of their trip.

Any idea if there is a website that will give me that info?

Thanks for the help! Amy

[kijip]

This is what I got from the SAFE KIDS site:

Virginia State Child Occupant Protection Law

Law Mandate


Children ages 5 and under must be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat.

Children ages 15 and under must be restrained in some manner regardless of seating position.*

When Virginia does mandate restraint use, it requires the driver to secure both the child safety seat and the child properly.

Public Education

Virginia uses its monetary fines to finance the Child restraint Device Special Fund. This program, however, does not directly address child safety seat use.

Enforcement



Driver fined maximum $50 for child restraint violation.*

*This law contains a waiver provision. Generally, this means that the penalty may or must be waived or reduced if the offender provided proof of purchase, rental or acquisition of an approved child safety seat within a specified period of time or if the court determines that such a penalty would impose undue economic hardship to the offender.


Gaps in Coverage


Children ages 6 and 7 can be restrained like adults in a safety belt alone.

Children may ride unrestrained when traveling in the rear cargo area of passenger vehicles.
A Call to Action for Virginia

The Virginia legislature should, among other things:


Require children ages 6 and 7 to use booster seats.

Establish a child occupant protection public education program.

Eliminate its "rear cargo area" exemption.

Consider establising a child occupant protection class for violators.

Eliminate its "proof of child safety seat purchase" waiver.


You can find this information out for all states by using the search feature on the main site:

http://www.safekids.org/

[Joolsplus2]

The laws of physics are considerably more strict...what ages are the kids? Older than 4 or so, and a couple of backless boosters for $15 should do it (assuming you have tall enough seatbacks/headrests). Kids need to be in car seats or boosters till they are adult sized and are safe in adult seatbelts, period.

http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

Hope you all have a great visit!

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[ajrivers]

Thanks to both of you.

My nephew is 5 so we'll just do the booster seat thing and then my niece is 2 so I may just go ahead and buy the next size up seat that we'll eventually need (we've just got a PP infant seat at the moment)so they don't have to lug their's on the plane.

I just wasn't sure if we would need a booster seat or an actual car seat for the 5 year old.

Thanks again. Amy

[Joolsplus2]

Ah, ok, good. Sorry, didn't mean to be so heavy-handed...I just wish laws actually protected children, so I get off on a tangent there, lol.

Probably any booster's fine for the 5 yo, and for the 2 yo you can get a Cosco Touriva or Regal Ride for about $40, or get your own Marathon or whatever that you'll be using down the road.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[ajrivers]

Good morning.

I just found out how much my 4.5 yr old nephew weighs and am trying to figure out what kind of seat I should get for him. It would be great if we could just do a booster, but I obviously want him to be safe while he's visiting. He is 3' 11" and 50 lbs.

If he's not safe in a booster what would be a decent inexpensive seat we could use for his 5 day visit. My niece is 3'2" and 34 lbs. so I'm assuming she'll be fine in the Britax we are planning on buying, but I need to check height requirements. I'm buying the one Britax for us to use when our baby gets bigger, but don't want to invest in a second one until we figure out how we are going to use in in the cars, etc...and actually have the baby :-)

Thanks for the help!! Amy

[kijip]

4 and 1/2 year old: At 50 pounds the only widely available acceptable and safe options are a belt positioning booster or the larger Britax (not practical for a 5 day trip unless he is bringing his own!). A nicely priced, widely available booster is the Graco Turbo Booster. It is at any Target, BRU, TRU etc. With a back it runs about $60, without a back it is $20.

2 year old: As for your niece, since she is 2 I assume that she will have her own seat on the airplane---why not have your brother bring her seat from home? Makes the plane trip easier with a tot IMO to have a car seat. Since she is 2 years old , I assume your brother has to buy a seat for her (cutoff for lap babies is 2). I would just go ahead and tote the seat. Just my advice for ease of travel (flying with a 2 year old climbing all over you is a nightmare!) and for safety (turbulance).