A bill passed by way of the 2018 Virginia General Assembly and signed using Governor Ralph Northam with a purpose to take impact July 1, 2019, requires kids stay rear-facing in toddler safety seat tillage, or until the child reaches the minimum weight restrict for an ahead-dealing with toddler restraint tool as prescribed using the manufacturer of the tool.

“Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages one to thirteen, which is why it is so important for parents to pick the right baby protection seat and use it properly,” stated Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “The forces for the duration of a crash may be deadly. A rear-facing vehicle seat is designed to transport with the child in the occasion of a crash, assisting to guard his or her head, neck, and spinal cord.”

Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative, brought, “Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) endorse all kids trip rear-facing so long as viable.
You may think your infant is prepared to stand ahead, but for premiere safety, it’s critical to preserve your infant rear-dealing with till he or she is at the best weight or peak specific within the producer’s instructions.”

The AAP and NHTSA also suggest the subsequent while putting in an infant safety seat:
Follow the setup instructions supplied by using the child protection seat manufacturer.
Position the harness straps on the shoulders and chest and flat towards the kid’s body. The straps have to be comfortable enough to pinch any slack within the straps at the kid’s shoulder.

Position the chest clip at armpit degree.
Make sure the protection seat does no longer moves ahead or side-to-facet more than one inch.
Virginia’s baby passenger safety laws require all youngsters under age eight to be nicely secured in a toddler protection seat or booster seat, regardless of weight or height.