It’s always a little nerve-wracking to be behind the wheel of a motor vehicle that contains children. No one wants to make an error or mistake while driving that results in an injury to a child. Passenger safety is a growing concern among parents and those who govern our great state. Not only is keeping children safe on West Virginia’s roads a priority of West Virginia drivers, it’s also a priority of the State of West Virginia, specifically the Child Passenger Safety Program (CPSP), part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP).
Every year, because of product safety concerns, child passenger carryingdevices like booster seats, baby seats, and seat belts are increasingly recalled. Utilizing federally provided funding for educational materials, training, and supplies, the Child Passenger Safety Program of West Virginia strives to keep children safer and ensure that all types of child seating meet safety requirements and are installed properly. This program supplements existing child passenger safety laws by informing the public and helping them understand the importance of passenger safety as it relates to children. This education helps reduce injuries, and even death, associated with inadequate child seating.
Because of the CPS program, there are many certified individuals available to properly install a car seat. Parents and other individuals may utilize the CPSP seat fitting stations directory to find a location where a child safety seat may be inspected for defects, as well as where they may receive information regarding proper use and installation. CPS also keeps data that tracks the recall status of any particular car seat device.
The current West Virginia Child Passenger Safety Law states that all children up to the age of eight must be properly secured in a federally approved child safety seat, which includes a booster seat. An exception is if the child reaches four feet nine inches prior to their eighth birthday, then a regular seatbelt will sufficiently provide proper safety. West Virginia also allows law enforcement officers to stop and ticket individuals who do not properly seat children in a vehicle.
If you and/or your child have a possible claim for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident, please call Amy Crossan, an expert in personal injury law, for a consultation at 304-523-8451.