Attorney Karl Heideck recently took the time to write an article discussing updates to Pennsylvania’s car seat laws. State legislatures have made it clear in recent years that providing more protection for childen on the state’s roads is a major priority. One published report by AAA named auto accidents as a leading cause of death for babies and small children.
The most recent change to Pennsylvania car seat laws became active August 12, 2006. State legislature now mandates that all children two years and younger must be secured in a car seat. Also, car seats must be facing the rear of the vehicle. Studies have shown that when car seats face the rear of the vehicle they provide added protection for children.
In the past year, non compliant motorists in the state of Pennsylvania have been issued warnings for not properly securing children in vehicles. However, this one year grace period has expired. Violators of Pennsylvania’s newest car seat laws will now be issued citations and fines. The current fine is $125.
An added element to this newly enacted law is that all children under eight years old is required to also be seated in a booster seat. Exceptions for this statute are made for children who are taller than 4 feet 9 inches tall or who weight 80 pounds. The fine for this violation is $75.
Attorney Karl Heideck stresses the importance for parents across the state of Pennsylvania to carefully review the state’s newly enacted laws. Heideck also explains it is imperative for parents to ensure that they are in possession of compliant car seats as many older models, as well as some newer models, have been recalled by manufactures. It is safe to assume that most car seats older than five years old are no longer compliant with current safety standards in the state of Pennsylvania.
Karl Heideck is a 2009 graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law where he graduated with honors while earning a Juris Doctor degree. Before Temple law school, Heideck attended Swarthmore college where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in English. Heideck has specialized in civil litigation, intellectual property law, commercial litigation, and employment law while faithfully serving the greater Philadelphia area for more than a decade. Karl Heideck stands in support and has openly praised Pennsylvania lawmakers’ attempts to make the state’s roads safer for children. karl Heideck also hopes that other states will follow the lead of Pennsylvania so that roads throughout the nation can be safer places for children. Visit karl heideck at crunchbase.com