Seat Belts
RCW 46.61.688 — everyone 16 and older belted, and the car seat rules by age and height
In Washington, every person sixteen or older driving or riding in a motor vehicle wears the safety belt properly adjusted and fastened, and no one may drive with a child passenger under sixteen who is not belted or in an approved child restraint. A violation is a traffic infraction.
| The child | The restraint |
|---|---|
| The childUnder the age of two years | The restraintA rear-facing child restraint system, to its weight or height limit |
| The childUnder the age of four years, out of rear-facing | The restraintA forward-facing system with a harness |
| The childUnder four feet nine inches tall, out of those | The restraintA booster seat, until the lap and shoulder belts fit |
A belt infraction goes on the driver's abstract but is not available to insurance companies or employers, and not wearing a belt is not negligence or evidence of negligence in a civil action.
Sources for this section (2)
- RCW 46.61.688 — Safety belts, use required
- RCW 46.61.687 — Child restraint system required
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.