Nearly everyone has come across the “Buckle Up, It’s The Law” sign.
Seatbelts are proven to save lives. Adults are aware of the risks of not fastening them. But children do not, so adults bear the responsibility ofg making sure they’re secured.
The courts and the law take seatbelt violations seriously, especially as they involve children. The New York seatbelt law is clear: Everyone in a moving car must wear a seatbelt.
New York has various traffic laws to ensure children are safe in a car. If you have been issued a child seatbelt ticket in New York, contact a qualified traffic-ticket lawyer to help you avoid a costly insurance hike, points on your license, license suspension, or other traffic tickets.
At Norman Mattar we take time to learn your story, examine your claim, and walk with you until you get the best result possible.
What are the laws for young children?
New York state seatbelt law VTL 1229-c requires all children below eight years to be secured correctly in a child-restraint system when riding in a motor vehicle, and that system must meet the weight and size standards for a particular child.
What to do to avoid a child-seatbelt ticket
- Put any child younger than 2 years old in a rear-facing car seat.
- Put any child under 4 years old and 40 pounds in a convertible car seat.
- Ensure children between the ages of 4 and 7 or heavier than 40 pounds are restrained in a booster seat with a shoulder harness and lap belt.
- Make sure all children younger than 16 are wearing seatbelts.
Bear in mind that children heavier than 100 pounds or taller than 4-feet-9 are allowed to use a seatbelt with a shoulder harness and lap belt.
Possible penalties for violating the child-restraint law
If you are stopped for not properly securing a child passenger in your car, you can be fined up to $100. You will also have three points assessed against your driver’s license. And your auto-insurance rates likely will rise.
Whenever you have children in your car, make sure they do not unbuckle their seatbelts. They might do so without your knowledge, but you can still be cited for violating the law.
Installing a child’s car seat in your car is not enough. New York law requires the child to remain in that car seat and be properly secured. In several instances, drivers get cited for this violation because of ignorance, and police will, in most cases, combine these tickets with other offenses that make the issue more serious.
Adding the cumulative offenses will not only cause a significant insurance hike, but it will also put the driver closer to being suspended. It is, therefore, essential to follow the law and be careful and watchful when you have children in the backseat.
Have you been issued a child seat ticket? Norman Mattar will help you
Contact us today if you or your loved one has been issued a child-seat ticket. At Norman Mattar, we have qualified and experienced traffic ticket attorneys that fight for your case and get the offenses reduced or have the case dismissed. Contact one of our lawyers by calling (716) 633-4300.
