AAA: PA Car Seat Law – Grace Period Over, Fines Begin

After one year, fines kick in for Pennsylvania’s rear facing under 2 years of age car seat law.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (Thursday, August 10, 2017) – Car crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children under the age of 14.  One year ago Pennsylvania adopted a new law to keep kids safer in the car.  Pennsylvania’s new child passenger car seat regulations, requiring that children be restrained in rear-facing child passenger restraint systems until at least age two or until they have outgrown the height and weight limits designated by the car seat manufacturer, took effect August 12, 2016.  For the past 12 months, violators have been issued a verbal warning.  Saturday (August 12) the grace period ends and violations will result in a $125 fine.

“This new child car seat regulation makes Pennsylvania a leader in child passenger safety, becoming only the fourth state (at the time) to require rear-facing car seats for children until at least two years of age,” said Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.  “Industry research, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board, clearly shows infants and toddlers should continue to ride rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height recommended by the manufacturer of the seat.  AAA has long supported strengthening Pennsylvania’s car seat law to protect our most precious (and vulnerable) cargo, our children.”

Under the new law:

• Children under the age of two must be restrained in a rear-facing car seat.
• Officers will only give verbal warnings to offenders for the first year.
• Beginning August 12, 2017, each violation will result in a $125 fine.

Today, eight states require children younger than two be in a rear-facing child seat (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina).

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and more than three million members in Pennsylvania.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit www.AAA.com.