In honor of national child passenger safety week easley encouraging all parents and caregivers to be aware of the proper use of child restraint seats.

In 2006, among children under 5, an estimated 425 lives were saved by child restraint use. Research shows that child restraints provide the best protection for all children up to age 8; after that, seat belts provide the best protection

North Carolina has three occupant restraint laws.
Their basic requirements are that..

All drivers along with front and back seat passengers, regardless of age, must be properly buckled up.

All children less than 16 years old must be buckled up in either the front or back seat.

Children younger than age 8 AND who weigh less than 80 pounds must be properly secured in a child restraint (CR).

Car booster seats are a type of CR that can be used for older and larger children if lap and shoulder combination seat belts are available.

Lap-only seat belts can be used for children over 40 pounds if no lap and shoulder combination seat belt is available. Belt-positioning booster seats must not be used with just a lap belt.

CRs for children less than age 5 and less than 40 pounds must be installed in the rear seat in vehicles with active passenger-side air bags.

When a child reaches age 8 (regardless of weight) OR 80 pounds (regardless of age), a correctly fitted seat belt may be used instead of a child restraint/booster to restrain the child.

Placing the shoulder belt under a child’s (or adult’s) arm or behind the back is dangerous and is illegal.

Children less than age 12 are prohibited from riding in the open bed of a pickup truck or other open cargo area.

Drivers are responsible for obeying these laws.

The penalty for not complying with the Child Restraint/Booster Seat law is 2 driver license points, a $25 fine, and court costs (currently $120).