New age requirement begins July 1 for child booster seats in cars
Virginia Beach- Not only is the summer travel season upon us, so is Virginia's newest state law relating to child seat safety. As of July 1, 2007, children riding in motor vehicles will be required to be properly restrained until they reach eight years of age. Currently, the law requires a child safety seat for children through the age of five.
Additionally, the new law requires rear-facing child seats be placed only in the back seat of a vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a back seat, the device may be placed in the front passenger seat, provided the airbag has been deactivated, or there is no airbag equipment.
Last year in Virginia, 14 infants and toddlers were killed in traffic crashes. Five of them were in child seats that had been improperly installed. Another seven were not secured in any type of child or booster seat, as required by law. The victims ranged in age from four months to five years.
To learn more about the new law and ensure your child is properly secured, the public is invited to attend a free child safety seat check to be held next week in Virginia Beach at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in the Red Mill Commons shopping center on Nimmo Road from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Parents, grandparents, babysitters, caregivers - anyone responsible for transporting a child of any age is encouraged to stop by the child safety seat check," said Captain R. Daniel Plott, Virginia State Police Chesapeake Division Commander. "The few minutes it takes to make sure your infant seat, child seat, and/or booster seat is safe and secure can mean the difference between life and death in a crash."
