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State Booster Seat Law Chart
July 23, 2003

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AR CA CO DE DC IL
           
Is the child restraint law comprehensive up to age 16? NO YES YES YES YES YES
           
BOOSTER SEAT LAWS            
Up to what age must children be restrained? 6 6 6 7 8 8
           
Age "AND" weight/height or age "OR" weight/height? "AND" "OR" "AND" "AND" n/a n/a
           
Up to what weight must children be restrained? 60 lbs. 60 lbs. n/a 60 lbs. n/a n/a
           
Up to what standing height must children be restrained? n/a n/a 55" n/a n/a n/a
           
WHICH TERMS WERE USED?            
appropriate child restraint system (or similar) X X       X
booster seats or equivalent (or similar)     X X X X
           
Is the booster seat law primary enforcement? YES YES NO YES YES YES
             
What is the penalty?
$25-$100
$100 for 1st offense, $250 for 2nd
$56
$28.75 max.
2 points on record plus $75 or a $25 CPS class for 1st offense; both for 2nd; $125 for 3rd; $150 for 4th
$50 max. for 1st offense, $100 for 2nd or subsequent offense
           
May the ticket be dismissed or fine reduced if a seat is bought? YES NO NO YES YES, for first offense YES
           
Must free or low-cost seats be offered to low-income families? YES YES NO NO YES NO
           
Are educational programs or materials required? YES YES NO YES YES NO
           
Are the booster seats required to meet FMVSS standard? YES YES YES YES NO YES
             
Which vehicles (if any) are exempt? for hire and emergency vehicles
 emergency vehicles
 commercial vehicles
 motorbuses, limousines or taxicabs
 n/a
 commercial motor vehicles or when driver was not given seat by parent or guardian
           
When was this law enacted? 2/28/01
 9/24/00
 6/4/02 5/9/02
 8/26/02
 7/3/03
             
When did this law take effect? 8/1/01 1/1/02 8/1/03
 1/1/03 10/16/02
 1/1/04

State Booster Seat Law Chart, p. 2

July 23, 2003

LA ME MD MT NE NV
           
Is the child restraint law comprehensive up to age 16? NO YES YES YES YES YES
           
BOOSTER SEAT LAWS            
Up to what age must children be restrained? 6 8 6 6 6 6
           
Age "AND" weight/height or age "OR" weight/height?

"OR"

 "AND" n/a "AND" n/a "AND"
           
Up to what weight must children be restrained? 60 lbs. 80 lbs. n/a 60 lbs. n/a 60 lbs.
           
Up to what standing height must children be restrained? n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
           
WHICH TERMS WERE USED?            
appropriate child restraint system (or similar) X     X X X
booster seats or equivalent (or similar) X X X     X
           
Is the booster seat law primary enforcement? NO YES YES YES YES YES
             
What is the penalty?
$25 max. for failure to restrain properly. For failure to restrain, license confiscated until seat acquired +: 1st offense: $50; 2nd: $100; 3rd: $100 and court costs.
$25-$500
$25 $100 max. $25 Complete CRS training program and $50-$500 or 8-50 hours of community service
           
May the ticket be dismissed or fine reduced if a seat is bought? NO NO YES NO NO NO
           
Must free or low-cost seats be offered to low-income families? NO NO NO NO NO NO
           
Are educational programs or materials required? YES NO YES NO YES NO
           
Are the booster seats required to meet FMVSS standard? YES YES YES YES YES YES
             
Which vehicles (if any) are exempt? emerg. vehicles, school buses, church buses, private buses, & commercial trucks, vans, or taxis
 vehicles not req. by DOT to have seat belts
 vehicles registered outside of MD and vehicles other than Class A, E, M vehicles

 road construction machinery, motor vehicles used to apply fertilizer, & log loaders

 taxicabs, pre-1963 without occ. protection systems, and emergency vehicles

 public transportation, taxis, school buses, emergency vehicles
           
When was this law enacted? 7/7/03
 4/1/02 5/6/02
 4/17/03
 4/17/02
 6/9/03
             
When did this law take effect? 1/1/04 7/25/02 10/1/03 10/1/03 7/20/02 6/1/04

 

State Booster Seat Law Chart, p. 3

July 23, 2003

NH NJ OR PA RI SC
           
Is the child restraint law comprehensive up to age 16? YES YES YES NO NO NO
           
BOOSTER SEAT LAWS            
Up to what age must children be restrained? 6 8 6 8 7 6
           
Age "AND" weight/height or age "OR" weight/height? "AND" "AND" "OR" n/a "AND" "AND"
           
Up to what weight must children be restrained? n/a 80 lbs. 60 lbs. n/a 80 lbs. 80 lbs.
           
Up to what standing height must children be restrained? 55 inches n/a n/a n/a 54 inches n/a
           
WHICH TERMS WERE USED?            
appropriate child restraint system (or similar) X   X X  
booster seats or equivalent (or similar) X   X   X
           
Is the booster seat law primary enforcement? YES YES YES NO YES YES
             
What is the penalty? $25 for 1st offense, $50 for 2nd or subsequent offense $10-$25 $75 max. $100 max. $50 $25 max.
           
May the ticket be dismissed or fine reduced if a seat is bought? NO YES NO YES YES NO
           
Must free or low-cost seats be offered to low-income families? NO NO NO NO NO NO
           
Are educational programs or materials required? NO YES NO NO YES NO
           
Are the booster seats required to meet FMVSS standard? YES YES NO YES YES YES
             
Which vehicles (if any) are exempt? vehicles for hire, school buses, antique motor cars, parade vehicles

 school buses

 n/a

 vehicles other than: passenger cars, class I or II trucks, classic or antique motor vehicles and mobile homes passenger motor vehicles not req. to be equipped with belts and mail carriers
 emerg., commercial & public trans. vehicles, taxis, school buses, church & day care vans
           
When was this law enacted? 5/20/03 9/6/01
 6/28/01
 12/23/02 6/26/01
 7/3/01
             
When did this law take effect? 1/1/04 12/1/01 1/1/02 2/21/03 1/1/02 7/1/01

State Booster Seat Law Chart, p. 4

July 23, 2003

TN VT VA WA WY  
           
Is the child restraint law comprehensive up to age 16? YES YES YES NO NO  
           
BOOSTER SEAT LAWS            
Up to what age must children be restrained? 9 8 6 6 9  
           
Age "AND" weight/height or age "OR" weight/height? "AND" n/a n/a "OR" "AND"  
           
Up to what weight must children be restrained? n/a n/a n/a 60 lbs. 80 lbs.  
           
Up to what standing height must children be restrained? 60 inches n/a n/a n/a n/a  
           
WHICH TERMS WERE USED?            
appropriate child restraint system (or similar) X X X X X  
booster seats or equivalent (or similar) X     X    
           
Is the booster seat law primary enforcement? YES YES YES YES YES  
             
What is the penalty? $50 and potentially a CRS safety course $25 for 1st offense, $50 for 2nd, $100 for 3rd or subsequent offense $25 $86 $50 max. for 1st offense, $100 max. for 2nd & subseq.  
           
May the ticket be dismissed or fine reduced if a seat is bought? NO NO NO YES for 1st offense YES  
           
Must free or low-cost seats be offered to low-income families? NO YES NO NO NO  
           
Are educational programs or materials required? NO YES NO NO NO  
           
Are the booster seats required to meet FMVSS standard? YES YES YES YES YES  
             
Which vehicles (if any) are exempt? public trans.
 school bus, vehicle for hire (not incl. day care vehicles)
taxis, school buses, limos, executive sedans
 for hire vehicles, shuttle services, commercial vehicles
 n/a
  
           
When was this law enacted? 6/12/03
 5/20/03
 4/6/02
 3/28/00
 3/7/03  
             
When did this law take effect? 7/20/02 6/1/04 1/1/04 12/1/01 1/1/02