Mount Vernon Optic-Herald

Starting June 1, law enforcement officers may issue citations for violations of the recent changes to the child passenger safety law. Fines are $25 to $250 plus court costs, potentially much more than the cost of a safety or booster seat.
The law was passed last year during the legislative session and went into effect on September 1, 2009.  Officers could only issue verbal or written warnings for the first nine months, but now the enforcement phase is in effect.
The law requires all children younger than eight years old – unless already taller than 4’9”  to be in the appropriate child safety seat system anywhere the child rides in a passenger vehicle. A passenger vehicle is defined as a passenger car designed to transport not more than 10 occupants including the driver, a truck, light truck, truck tractor, sport utility vehicle and a passenger van designed to transport not more than 15 occupants including the driver.
The law also requires that all safety seat systems, safety or booster seats and safety vests, be installed according to the manufacturers’ instructions, including age, height, weight requirements and the proper placement in the vehicle. Some manufacturers prohibit using their products on the front seats of vehicles.
Safety seats and booster seats not only save lives, they save families. People should consider the impact to  the  family if  a  child isn’t buckled up properly and is injured or killed in a crash. Many times the injuries an improperly restrained child receives are life-long. 
Contact Beth Warren, DPS Safety Programs, at 512-424-5639 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.