Seriously?! WA state is a 1yr OR 20lb state?

maybesomeday

New member
Yesterday when I was at BRU the lady told me that it was 1yr or 20lbs to turn FF. I said, "actually its 1yr and 20lbs." She proceeded to tell me that she had a print out from our local children's hospital (Mary Bridge) stating that wasn't the case. (I told her it didn't matter, I wasn't turning DD around until she's at least in high school:p) So, in an effort to give her the correct info, I came into work today (I work for a lawyer) fully intent on pulling the statute and proving her wrong. TO MY HORROR, while our child passenger restraint law was changed effective 6/1, no where could I find that it changed the wording to AND:eek: It mainly applied to the use of booster seats. I did find several websites that said it was changed, I could not find the actual wording in the statute. I even had my boss look.

Hopefully someone can prove me wrong and we just didn't see it. If anyone has actual wording from the statute/law, please share it with me.
 
ADS

lovinwaves

New member
Nope you misunderstood it. I had this argument with a guy on another forum. The law is just worded REALLY bad. The child MUST be 20lbs AND 1 year old ;)
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
Here is a part of the law:
----------
(1) Whenever a child who is less than sixteen years of age is being transported in a motor vehicle that is in operation and that is required by RCW 46.37.510 to be equipped with a safety belt system in a passenger seating position, or is being transported in a neighborhood electric vehicle that is in operation, the driver of the vehicle shall keep the child properly restrained as follows:

(a) If the child is less than six years old and/or sixty pounds and the passenger seating position equipped with a safety belt system allows sufficient space for installation, then the child will be restrained in a child restraint system that complies with standards of the United States department of transportation and that is secured in the vehicle in accordance with instructions of the manufacturer of the child restraint system;

(b) If the child is less than one year of age or weighs less than twenty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing infant seat;

(c) If the child is more than one but less than four years of age or weighs less than forty pounds but at least twenty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a forward facing child safety seat restraint system;

(d) If the child is less than six but at least four years of age or weighs less than sixty pounds but at least forty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a child booster seat;

(e) If the child is six years of age or older or weighs more than sixty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained with the motor vehicle's safety belt properly adjusted and fastened around the child's body or an appropriately fitting booster seat; and
------------
The way the law reads:

If the child is less than one year of age or weighs less than twenty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing infant seat

can be seen as
if A or B, then C

If A is true or B is true, then C must occur, so if a child is less then one year of age (A) or less then 20 pounds (B), then the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing infant seat (C). You don't have to have both A and B true for C to happen. If it had been "less then one year AND 20 pounds" then the law would be much worse as then both conditions would have to occur for the child forced to be rear facing.
 

maybesomeday

New member
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Thank you ladies. I knew it couldn't be true. You explained it so eloquently! Now, when I read it again - it makes total sense.
 

spokaneCPST

CPST Instructor
It also says "properly restrained" - there are no seats on the market that allow FF before 1 year and 20 pounds. So, in order to be properly restrained, the child must be RF til 1 year and 20 pounds. The law is poorly written, but it is not either/or.
Renee
 

tchanbaby

New member
Actually I had this discussion with two police officers who are also current safe kids techs and the local safe kids rep (they came in April or May to speak to my MOMS Club) and they all 3 said state law is 1 year OR 20 pounds. I told them that makes me ill!

I need to look but I haven't noticed that our marathons say you have to be a year to forward face, only a weight I think.

Anyway, I agree, they did good with the booster seat laws but our laws need to be better on when kids can forward face.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Actually I had this discussion with two police officers who are also current safe kids techs and the local safe kids rep (they came in April or May to speak to my MOMS Club) and they all 3 said state law is 1 year OR 20 pounds. I told them that makes me ill!

:confused: Did you read the above posts?
 

tchanbaby

New member
I did; I'm just telling you that the people who explain the laws (techs) to people and the people who are enforcing the laws (police) are telling people the law states 1 year OR 20 pounds. And it made my head explode (not literally) and made my stomach sick (literally).
 

lovinwaves

New member
I did; I'm just telling you that the people who explain the laws (techs) to people and the people who are enforcing the laws (police) are telling people the law states 1 year OR 20 pounds. And it made my head explode (not literally) and made my stomach sick (literally).

Ohhhh gotcha! :thumbsup: Just ignore me.... :whistle:
 

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