If law enforcement pulls you over for an infraction or violation, they can also ticket you for not wearing a seat belt. If a person violates the Child Passenger Safety law, another infraction does not have to be cited first.

Any person who is driving, and all passengers 6 years of age or older and taller than 57 inches, must wear a seat belt.

Any child less than 6 years of age and less than 57 inches tall, must ride in a federally approved child restraint system. Children who are under 2 years of age must also remain secured in a rear-facing child restraint system in the back seat of a motor vehicle.

Children can graduate to a seat belt system once they reach 6 years of age AND 57 inches. Federal guidelines and research advise that your child should be at least 4’9″ or 57 inches tall to properly wear a seat belt. If the shoulder belt does not fit easily over the chest and “rides up” on your child’s neck, they need a belt-positioning booster.

• Keep children in the back seat until at least age 12.
• Never use a lap belt on a child sitting in a booster seat designed for shoulder belts.
• Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child.
• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size and use it every time.
• Only use a child safety seat with all parts, instructions, and labels.
• Do not use a child safety seat that has been in a crash. If you don’t know the history of the seat, don’t risk it.
• Return product registration forms for all new car seats to the manufacturer to ensure you will be notified of any recalls.
• Check recalls.gov for car seat recalls.
• Get free child safety seat inspections and advice at 866-SEAT-CHECK or seatcheck.org.

• Make it a habit to wear your seat belt all the time. It just takes two seconds to Click It.
• When in a vehicle, remind everyone else to wear their seat belts too.
• Always wear your seat belt correctly. Wearing BOTH your lap and shoulder belt is the best line of defense. The lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the hip bones, across the chest, and positioned at mid-shoulder.
• Never put a shoulder belt behind anyone’s arm or back because it eliminates the protection for the upper part of the body and dangerously redistributes crash forces.