California Car Seat Belt Law
California vehicle code 27360 requires that all people in a vehicle (other than a bus or motorcycle) be restrained in a car seat or with seat belts. The rules vary depending on the age of the person. Drivers and passengers 16 and older may be cited for not following the seat belt laws in California.
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Young Children
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For children who are younger than 6, or less than 60 pounds, a car seat or booster seat that meets federal standards for the age and size of the child is required. The child must also be seated in the back seat only.
Children Over Age 6
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Children older than 6, or weighing 60 pounds or more, do not need a booster seat or car seat. They do have to be wearing a seat belt and they can be seated in the front seat. An owner should consult the vehicle's owners manual regarding passenger side air bags and child safety before allowing a young child to sit up front.
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Violations
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Violators of the vehicle code are given citations that come with a fine, and one point is added to the person's driving record. If a parent of a child under 16 is in the car but not driving, the parent will be cited instead of the driver.
Truck Beds
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Individuals cannot ride in the back of a pickup truck unless "in an emergency response situation by a public agency." Although there is an exception in the code for individuals if they are restrained and properly meeting federal standards in the back of a truck, there are no federal standards as of 2010 for restraint systems in any cargo areas.
Exceptions
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Younger children (under age 6 or 60 pounds) can ride in the front seat if the vehicle does not have a rear seat that properly holds car seats, or if the back seat is full with other children younger than 12. Exceptions do not apply to infants under the age of 1 year or a weight of 20 pounds. Some professionals such as mail carriers, delivery people and garbage truck drivers are also exempt from the seat belt laws.
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References
- Photo Credit seat belt receptacle image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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With all the people exempt from this law, it's enforcement would appear to be motivated by money rather than safety. Not wearing a seat belt is either an unsafe act, or it isn't.
