Walk It Through: The Car Seat
Under 8 unless 4 feet 9 inches, rear facing under 2, and a $50 fine that can be waived.
A parent drives a first grader who is not yet 4 feet, 9 inches tall.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
One family's car. A physician's certification, the seat belt rule to 16, and the civil trial rule are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- Child safety seatThe seat a child under the age of 8 years is secured in, following the seat and vehicle manufacturers' instructions, unless the child is 4 feet, 9 inches tall or taller.
- Secondary offenseA rule an officer may enforce only once a driver has been detained for something else, as with the rear seat belt rule for passengers 16 and older.