For many Californian children and teenagers, there will no longer be the chance of riding in the front seat of a car. The reason for this new rule is because statistics show small-framed children, irrespective of their age, get severely injured in crashes when they are seated in the front seat. Taking the statistics as a guideline, it has become clear that children under 13 are better off sitting in the back seat of the car. It is important to find out who is banned from sitting in front seat in this state.
The apparent change in the law
According to current Californian law, children are required to use booster seats until the age of 8 or until they reach a height of 4 foot 9 inches. Despite the current Californian rule, the California Highway Patrol recommends all children under the age of 13 sit in the back seat.
The more stringent rule as per the new bill is that all children under 10 use booster seats and all those under 13 are banned from sitting in the front seat. The added pending measure would require children as old as 13 to use a booster seat unless they can meet the necessary size criteria.
Why did Wilson’s Bill come about?
It was last week that the Assembly of Transportation Committee voted to put in place further stringent measures. Lori Wilson is a Democrat representing Suisun City. Lori Wilson’s Bill 435 in the California Assembly has gained support from a few children and automotive safety groups. According to Wilson, a startling number of children were either getting hurt or dying as a result of crashes. The reason children’s safety in cars has come under question is because safety belts and airbags are not compatible with the little children’s bodies.
According to Wilson’s Bill that will start in 2027, a child will be required to pass a 5-step test before they can ride in the front seat of a car. According to Wilson’s Bill, 5 questions should be considered when deciding where to seat a child or teenager:
- Does the child sit back against the seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat?
- Does the safety belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and the arm whilst resting on the collarbone?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
It is recommended that parents consider this 5-step test to decide whether or not a child can sit comfortably in the front seat with a safety belt or if the child still requires a booster seat. While drivers in this state prepare to adhere to these rules, they must also consider unexpected changes to the way they drive.
Fines for those citizens who do not abide by the new bill
Wilson stated that all the state wants is for children to be safe. Safety advocates are in favor of putting forward more controversial rules such as forbidding teenagers under the age of 16 from sitting in the front seat of the car.
While it is yet to be seen if more restrictive measures will be put in place, violators of the currently passed bill would have to deal with fines for failure to abide by the bill. The fines that would follow failure to abide by the bill would result in:
- Tickets of $20 for the first-ever offense.
- Tickets of $50 for every subsequent offense after the first offense.
The new law administered in California is one that follows suit from other states like Minnesota and Louisiana. While it is somewhat of a change from the current law, the bill’s proponents are important to ensure the safety of all children and teenagers in California. However, this law comes rather soon after California citizens just embraced the new laws affecting how citizens drive in 2025.
