Take Note – New Jersey Child Restraint Laws are Changing!

At Vlasac & Shmaruk, LLC, it’s our job to make sure we are not only keeping up with the newest laws and amendments, but staying ahead of the curve. That’s how we have earned our reputation as one of the best personal injury law firms serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We combine our years of extensive experience with innovation, continual learning and a tenacity that is unmatched in the legal industry. As a testament to that dedication, we want to inform all of our current and potential clients about the changes to New Jersey’s child restraint laws that will take effect on September 1, 2015.

The amended law covers the following:

Children under 2 years of age, and weighing less than 30 pounds, must be rear-facing. The car seat must also be equipped with a five-point harness system in order to further ensure the child’s safety, and must be secured to a rear seat of the vehicle.

Children under 4 years of age, and weighing less than 40 pounds, must be rear-facing. This circumstance also requires a five-point harness system and applies until the child outgrows the child restraint system’s manufacturer height and weight recommendations. At that point, you can move your children into a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness system that is secured to a rear seat of your vehicle. Children in this category cannot be in a booster seat, it is illegal until they weigh more than 40 pounds.

Children between the ages of 4 and 7, and less than 57-inches tall, must be secured in a forward-facing car seat or booster seat. Once your children outgrow the front facing car seat’s recommended height and weight restrictions, they can use a booster seat that is secured in the back seat of your vehicle.

Children between the ages of 8 and 17 must wear a properly adjusted seatbelt. This part is simple, it’s the law. All children meeting these requirements, and all adult drivers or passengers, must wear a properly secured and adjusted seat belt whenever the automobile is operated on a street or highway in New Jersey.

We know you want to keep you children safe; that’s why we felt it pertinent to get this information out to you. Each of the changes was made to give your kids the best chance of surviving a car crash unscathed, or at least as uninjured as possible. Be that as it may, if the worst case scenario happens and you and your children are involved in a motor vehicle accident in New Jersey, call us immediately. Car accidents can be drains on your physical, mental and financial health, especially when they involve the most precious and innocent members of your household. Our team of legal experts have the knowledge you need to get you back on track, and concentrating on what matters most – your family and personal health.