PLEASE NOTE: This article is not intended to provide legal advice, and is no substitute for speaking with a licensed attorney. If you have been seriously injured in an accident and have questions, please contact an attorney. You can reach our office—the Law Office of Benjamin A. Pepper, PLLC—at (360) 733-3966 or via our website at https://bpepperlaw.com.
On January 1, 2020, important changes to the Washington State child restraint laws became effective, representing an effort to prevent and mitigate serious injuries to children in car accidents and other motor vehicle accidents. While elements of existing law will not change, the following revisions have been adopted:
New/modified requirements to prevent injuries to minors:
- Children under age 2 must use rear-facing car seats. Children should remain in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat.
- Children ages 2 to at least 4 years should use a forward-facing, age-appropriate child harness seat—and should do so as long as possible—until they reach the seat’s height and weight limits. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds.
- Children over 4 years old but shorter than 4’ 9” who have outgrown the child harness seat must use booster seats. Most kids will need a booster seat until they reach 10 to 12 years of age.
When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle’s seatbelt alone, they should use both lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection
Additionally, as already provided by current laws, children up to age 13 must ride in a vehicle’s back seat whenever it is practical for them to do so.
Drivers can be ticketed if a passenger under age 16 is not using the correct car seat, booster seat, or seatbelt based on the child’s age, height or weight.
The new state laws conform with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for child safety when traveling in cars and other motor vehicles. By carefully adhering to the new laws’ requirements, parents can reduce the chance that their children may be seriously injured in a car accident or other motor vehicle accident.
The full text of the new law can be found at Revised Code of Washington (RCW) section 46.61.687.
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