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West Virginia Highway Safety Office
Home Page
 

2 Hale Street - Suite 100
Charleston, WV 25301
 
Phone: (304) 558-6080
FAX:   (304) 558-6083
 
Office Hours: 9:00AM - 5:00PM










 





 

Child Passenger Safety

"To find a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your area, please refer to the Regional Traffic Safety Programs Link. Each of our coordinators is certified, and has a list of certified techs that can assist you with your car seat."

 
General Child Seat Use Information

Buckle Everyone. Children Age 12 and Under in Back!
  AGE / SEAT TYPE / USAGE TIPS
WEIGHT SEAT POSITION
INFANTS Birth to at least 1 year and at least 20 pounds. Infant-Only Seat/rear-facing or Convertible Seat/used rear-facing. Never use in a front seat where an air bag is present.
  Tightly install child seat in rear seat, facing the rear.
Seats should be secured to the vehicle by the safety belts or by the LATCH system. Child seat should recline at approximately a 45 degree angle.
  Harness straps/slots at or below shoulder level (lower set of slots for most convertible child safety seats).
  Harness straps snug on child; harness clip at armpit level.
   
Less than 1 year/ 20-35 lbs. Convertible Seat/used rear-facing (select one recommended for heavier infants). Never use in a front seat where an air bag is present.
  Tightly install child seat in rear seat, facing the rear.
Seats should be secured to the vehicle by the safety belts or by the LATCH system. Child seat should recline at approximately a 45 degree angle.
  Harness straps/slots at or below shoulder level (lower set of slots for most convertible child safety seats).
  Harness straps snug on child; harness clip at armpit level.
   
PRESCHOOLERS / 1 to 4 years/ at least 20 lbs. to approximately 40 lbs. Convertible Seat/forward-facing or Forward-Facing Only or High Back Booster/Harness. Tightly install child seat in rear seat, facing forward.
TODDLER   Harness straps/slots at or above child’s shoulders (usually top set of slots for convertible child safety seats).
  Seats should be secured to the vehicle by the safety belts or by the LATCH system. Harness straps snug on child; harness clip at armpit level.
     
YOUNG 4 to at least 8 years/unless they are 4’9" (57") tall. Belt-Positioning Booster (no back, only) or High Back Belt-Positioning Booster. Booster used with adult lap and shoulder belt in rear seat.
CHILDREN   Shoulder belt should rest snugly across chest, rests on shoulder; and should NEVER be placed under the arm or behind the back.
  NEVER use with lap-only belts—belt-positioning boosters are always used with lap AND shoulder belts. Lap-belt should rest low, across the lap/upper thigh area—not across the stomach.
     

 

§17C-15-46. Child passenger safety devices required; child safety seats and booster seats.


     Every driver who transports a child under the age of eight years in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck other than one operated for hire shall, while such motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a street or highway of this state, provide for the protection of such child by properly placing, maintaining and securing such child in a child passenger safety device system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards: Provided, That if a child is under the age of eight years and at least four feet nine inches tall, a safety belt shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this section.

     Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty dollars.

     A violation of this section shall not be deemed by virtue of such violation to constitute evidence of negligence or contributory negligence or comparative negligence in any civil action or proceeding for damages.

     If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section and to this end the subsections of this section are declared to be severable.

     If all seat belts in a vehicle are being used at the time of examination by a law officer and the vehicle contains more passengers than the total number of seat belts or other safety devices as installed in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards, the driver shall not be considered as violating this section.

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West Virginia Department of Transportation
Division of Motor Vehicles
Governor’s Highway Safety Program
 2 Hale Street • Suite 100 • Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 558-6080
General information and/or questions, please email info@dot.state.wv.us