Suffolk, VA, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Renowned Personal Injury, Virginia Auto Accident Attorney, Workers’ Compensation, and Premises Liability Attorney Steven Oser has over 30 years of experience helping the injured receive compensation and restore their quality of life.
He has now released a useful page on his website all about the Virginia car seat laws that are designed to provide you with the vital information needed to keep your children safe and to help you take the best possible precautions to prevent injury in the unfortunate case of an accident.
Virginia Car Seat Laws
With current figures showing that vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for children between 3 and 14 years of age and statistics displaying that preventative measures, such as a properly-installed child car seat, can reduce vehicular child injuries by 71 to 82%, it has become essential to provide an accurate resource for parents, so that they can lower their child’s risk of a life-threatening injury caused by a car accident.
There are several regulations that have been updated by the Virginia Department of Transportation over the years, including:
- All children under eight years of age must be in an age, weight, and height-appropriate child restraint device
- The type of safety restraint needs to be installed in the proper location in the vehicle
- All the children under the age of 2 will need to continue to be in a rear-facing seat unless they have reached the minimum weight limit for a forward-facing safety seat as indicated by the car seat manufacturer
- Children are never allowed to ride in the rear cargo of a vehicle
- The only vehicles exempt from child seat safety restraints are school buses, farm vehicles, and limousines
- The initial fee for failing to have a child in the proper child restraint device is $50, but subsequent fines can reach $500
Steven Oser covers all the information noted above in much more detail on his website, expands more on the particular laws, and further explains the repercussions that one may face when not adhering to the car seat laws in VA.
Additionally, he also provides a useful guide on what type of car seat or booster seat should prevent serious injury in the case of an accident and what seat complies with the most recent laws.
This device is essential to ensuring your child’s safety but must match your child’s own height, weight, and age to properly align with the law.
There are several different types of car seats, such as:
Rear-facing Car Seats
These are designed to protect children who are aged between 2 and under and have a special harness attached that is intended to move with your child and protect their still fragile spinal cord and neck in a crash.
Forward-facing Car Seats
Also designed with a built-in harness, these seats also have a tether that limits the car seat’s movement during a crash. With many different options, like convertible, combination seats, and all-in-one car seats, you are sure to find one that meets your specifications.
Booster Seats
With the option of a high-back or a backless booster seat, these no longer contain the built-in harness and are designed to raise your child so that the lap and shoulder safety belt will correctly fit across your child’s chest and hips.
More information
To find out more about Steven M Oser PC and to read further information and advice on Virginia car seat laws, please visit his website at oserlegal.com.