The state of Washington requires that all children under 8 years old, or who are shorter than 4’9”, must use a proper child restraint system that complies with the standards of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and/or complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards set forth in 49 C.F.R. 571.213. This law has been codified by Washington at RCW 46.61.687.
The law also states that children under the age of 13 years should ride in the back seat of a vehicle when “practical to do so.”
A parent who violates RCW 46.61.687 is subject to a civil infraction that imposes a monetary penalty. A parent that is cited under this section has 7 days to show proof of acquisition of an approved child restraint system or booster seat and the infraction may be dismissed.
If you have other questions concerning child safety prevention measures, and the legal issues that frequently arise in child injury claims, please visit www.childaccidentbook.com for more information.
This information is brought to you by the attorneys at Davis Law Group in Seattle, Washington. Davis Law Group specializes in representing children in significant injury or accident claims. DLG also handles major motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
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