Child Safety Laws in California

Transporting your child in your car is probably a routine daily occurrence for you. Your busy schedule may not always allow you to get to your destination on time, but you drive safely with your child in your vehicle. You may obey traffic laws, but driving your child in your car could be a violation of the law. Mr. Ticket, Los Angeles traffic ticket lawyer, knows that parents may be unaware of their vehicle code violations.

The California Vehicle Code prohibits any child less than six years of age and less than sixty pounds from riding in the front seat of your vehicle. Your child, unless certain circumstances permit, must ride in the backseat in an approved restraint car seat. If you are pulled over by the police, you will be cited for violating the child restraint section of the motor vehicle code. Mr. Ticket, traffic ticket attorney in Los Angeles, knows the vehicle laws and can help you prevent a conviction in court.

The base fine for a first offense begins at $100. Additional penalties are assessed by several county and state authorities bringing the final total of your ticket to $400. When you are convicted, the DMV will immediately add one point to your driver’s license. You may already have existing points on your license and new points could cause you to lose your license.

The best way to fight traffic tickets is to put up a solid defense using an expert attorney. Most judges are not lenient when vehicle code violations involve children. Without expert legal representation, a judge can sentence you to a community education program under California traffic law to learn about the correct child safety restraint techniques.

Violating child restraint laws will remain on your permanent driving record. Do not take the chance of representing yourself when you have one or more of these California traffic tickets. You have the right to retain legal counsel and defend yourself against any allegations or charges in court. Fighting infractions or misdemeanors in California require the expertise of an attorney that will argue the facts to help you avoid a conviction.