New Alabama law concerning child car safety
New child safety-restraint requirements designed to reduce the number of children injured in traffic accidents. This law requires that all children up to the age of 15 be restrained while riding in a vehicle.
The type of restraint required will depend on the age and in some cases, the weight of the child. This new child restrain law penalty for not having a child properly restrained is $25. Points against a violator's driving record will also be assessed leading to a license suspendtion.
A violator receieves one point for the first violation, and two points for each violation thereafter. If a driver accumulates 12 points for any traffic violation within a two-year period, the driver's license will be suspended for 60 days.
The new law, however, applies to children up to age 15 riding anywhere in a passenger car, a pickup truck, a van with a capacity of seating 10 or less, a minivan or a sport utility vehicle.
The new law is located at www.dps.state.al.us. The web site also assist with proper installation of child safety restraints.
For more information, call the Public Information and Education Division of the Department of Public Safety at (334) 242-4445.
New child restraint requirements:
- Infant-only seats and convertible seats used in the rear-facing position for infants until at least 1 year of age or 20 pounds.
- Convertible seats in the forward position or forward-facing seats until the child is at least 5 years old or 40 pounds.
- Booster seats until the child is 6 years old. There is no specified weight for this age group
- Seat belts in the back seat until the child is 15 years old. Alabama's seat belt law, 32-5B-4, requires that all front-seat occupants, regardless of age, be restrained.
