Prestige Bodyworks

Driving Laws Make Us All Safer

To operate any vehicle legally in this country, all drivers are required to adhere to the certain safety standards and regulations in their respective state. Although the laws of the road differ from state-to-state, the intention of all these laws is to increase the safety for all drivers, passengers and pedestrians on the roads.

Below are a few universal safety driving laws that you should be aware of. They may differ in some states, but in most cases these almost identical in every corner of the U.S.  At Prestige Bodyworks, your safety is our priority, so that's why we enjoy sharing this information with our blog readers in Oxnard and throughout the State of CA.

Safety Belts

All vehicles must contain fully functional seat belts, even if you have an older (possibly classic) car that did not originally have them.

Any operator of any motor vehicle must wear a safety belt without exception.  

All passengers eight years old or older that are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall or taller must wear a seat belt.

Children that are eight years old or less that are under 4 feet 9 inches tall must always use a child safety seat.

Any driver and/or passenger who violates any of these rules is subject to a traffic ticket. In addition, if you are found to be driving with an unbelted passenger under the age of 16 years old in your car, you as the driver are at risk for a completely separate ticket.

Child Safety Seat Laws

Depending on your child's height and age, they could be required to use a child passenger restraint system that is both federally approved and certified.

In most states, all children under eight years old must:

Use an acceptable child safety seat or booster.

They can also ride in the rear seat of the vehicle unless the vehicle has no back seats or if the back seats are side-facing; the back seats face to the back of the vehicle. or if a child safety seat cannot be properly installed safely in the back seat.

Unattended Children & Pets

To protect the well-being of occupants inside any vehicle, you have to comply with your state's law regarding unattended kids and pets.

When you are not in your vehicle, it is illegal to:

Leave any child up to six years old unattended, unless they are supervised by someone at least 12 years of age.

Leave kids or pets in conditions that present a considerable risk to their overall health and safety.

Children and pets confined to vehicles in increasing temperatures can cause dehydration, stroke, or even death.

Sources: DMV, AAA and Wikipedia