Stricter child seat law takes effect in New Jersey
The requirements for child safety seats in New Jersey got a lot stricter on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The new law is said to be one of the most restrictive rules in the nation.
Toddlers weigh less than 30 poiunds and younger than 23 months are required to be restrained in a rear-facing five-point harness facing backwards in the back seat if the car has one. Children between 2 and 4 years old weighing less than 40 pounds should be strapped into a five-point harness facing either front or backwards in the back seat. The law also requires children ages 4-8 and shorter than 57 inches tall must be in a five-point harness or a booster seat once they are tall enough to use the shoulder restraint on the car's regular seat belt.
The new measure was signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie in May.
According to the law, failure to comply with the new requirements will carry a fine of $50-$75.
According to Jackie Stackhouse a certified Child Passenger Safety instructor for Northern New Jersey Safe Kids, a restraint with a five-point harness with the weight requirement of 90 pounds is one of the best restraints available for parents. Stackhouse said a five-point harness is a restraint the has two belts that secure over the shoulders, two belts that secure the hips and one belt between a child's legs.
Stackhouse is available to check child restraints for New Jersey parents at Sussex County's McGuire Chevrolet in Newton, which offers safety checks for free in Sussex County. The state has at least one site in every county as a service to New Jersey parents to check the safety and fit of all child restraints
According, to the Department of Law and Public Safety's website the child restraint safety checks and proper fit tests will be available the fourth Monday of every month.
If parents would like to test a seat belt fit, the Department of Law and Public Safety's website also has a four step process to check the seat belt fit for all children under the age of thirteen.
Lt. Keith Kimkowski of the Vernon Township Police Dept. said officers will be looking for the same signs as usual during a traffic stop.
"If something is out of sorts, the officer will ask and inquire. Our main concern is to make sure the seat is fastened the right way," he said.
Vernon police have one child safety seat instructor, who goes to classes and brings back updates to the law, but there is no additional training to go into it. People can come down and make appointments and the department's child safety instructor will inspect the seat and show the proper installation.
"Especially the new parents," Kimkowski said. "They're the ones that come down the most."