New York has rigorous traffic laws governing young children and making sure that they are safely secured in car seats. A driver who has been issued a child seat ticket in NY must contact an experienced traffic ticket attorney who can help avoid points, a costly insurance hike, and/or a suspended license and other traffic tickets.
Rules for Young Children VTL 1229-c
NY VTL 1229-c requires all children who are under the age of 8 to be properly secured in a child restraint system while riding in a motor vehicle. An appropriate child safety restraint system must meet the size and weight requirements for the specific child.
In order to ensure one avoids a child seat belt ticket, be sure to adhere to the following rules:
- A child under the age of 2 must be in a rear-facing car seat.
- A child under age 4 who weighs less than 40 lbs. must be in a convertible car seat.
- Children between ages 4 to 7 (or those weighing more than 40 lbs.) must be restrained in a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt.
- Children under the age of 16 must wear seat belts.
Drivers should be aware that a child who is more than 4’9” tall or more than 100 lbs. is allowed to use a seat belt that has both a lap belt and a shoulder harness.
Penalties for Violating VTL 1229-c
Those who are convicted of not properly securing a child in a car seat can be fined up to $100. He/she will also have 3 points assessed onto the driver’s license. In addition, because an improperly restrained child can be injured in an accident (which in turn can result in a costly insurance claim), auto insurance rates will almost certainly go up.
Be careful, if one’s child undoes the buckle, the driver can still be cited for violating VTL 1229-c. Likewise, simply having the car seat in the car is insufficient. The law requires the child to be secured and actually remain in the car seat. More often than not, individuals get cited for this offense on multiple occasions and police often combine these tickets with other offenses.
For example, if a police officer pulls someone over for speeding 15 miles over the posted speed limit and notices that a child is not sitting in a car seat, he/she will be facing two potential tickets. In addition, 7 points could be added onto the license (4 for speeding 15 over and 3 for not having the child in a car seat)!
It is crucial to recognize that this amount of points will not only cause insurance to go up significantly, but it will also put one very close to a suspension. Therefore, make sure to contact an experienced NY traffic ticket attorney who can help avoid all of the fallout associated with a child seat ticket.
Who Should You Contact?
If you or a loved one recently received a child seat ticket in NY, contact the attorneys at Rosenblum Law. Our experienced traffic ticket attorneys can fight the underlying charges and win a dismissal or get the offense reduced. Email or call 888-883-5529 for a free consultation about your case.
