THE PRICE OF NOT BUCKLING UP
The Los Angeles Municipal Court recorded 82,139 seat belt violations and 2,688 child safety seat violations in the first four months of 1988. Under the state seat belt law, which took effect in January, 1986, the fine for seat belt violations is $20 for a first offense and up to $50 for each subsequent offense. Violation of child safety seat provisions carries an $86 penalty. The following is a breakdown of the seat belt violations recorded from January through April in Los Angeles Municipal Court, which handles almost half the county’s traffic violations.
Failing to have seat belts buckled: 66,202 drivers, 14,912 passengers
Failure to maintain seat belts in working order: 1,025 vehicle owners
Allowing your child under 4 or weighing less than 40 pounds to ride in your vehiclewithout proper child seats: 2,265 parents or guardians
Allowing your child under 4 or weighing less than 40 pounds to ride in a vehicle without proper child seats, even though you do not own or drive that vehicle: 336 parents or guardians
Transporting someone else’s child under 4 or weighing less than 40 pounds in your vehiclewithout proper child seats (when a parent or guardian is not in the vehicle): 87 drivers
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