California motorists are facing a number of new laws this year. Many of the new laws are about safety and children, distracted driving, highway memorial signs and uninsured motorist coverage.

AB 770 Distracted Driving requires that law enforcement officers report on instances of driver distraction or inattention that may have caused or contributed to a traffic collision, including cell phones, electronic devices, radios, smoking, eating, children, animals, personal hygiene or similar distractions. The California Highway Patrol will compile the date and report its finding and recommendations by December 31, 2002.

AB 965 Highway Memorial Signs—Requires the California Department of Transportation develop a program allowing families and friends of drunk driving victims to request placement of memorial signs near crash sites memorializing their loved ones. A “please don’t drink and drive in memory of . . . .” sign can be erected with the sponsoring family paying all costs for placing and maintaining the sign.

SB 708 Uninsured Motorist Coverage—extends uninsured motorist benefits to policyholders injured by their own vehicle when the vehicle is used without the policyholder’s permission during the commission of a crime, such as car-jacking. To prevent fraudulent claims, the motorist must file a police report.

SB363 requires auto-insurance policies to cover replacement of child safety seats that were in use during accidents covered by the policies.

SB255 Children Unattended in Vehicles—“Kaitlyn’s Law”, prohibits leaving a child six years or younger in a motor vehicle if conditions present a significant risk, the engine is running or the key is left in the ignition. Penalties include a $100 fine, part of which will be used to develop and implement programs to educate the public about the dangers of leaving children in vehicles.

(V.C. 27360) Babies and small children must ride properly buckled up in safety seats or boosters until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 lbs. A child who weighs over 40 lbs. and is riding in a car without combination lap and shoulder belts in the back seat may wear just a lap belt.

(V.C. 27360.5) Older children may ride in safety seats, booster seats, or properly fitted vehicle safety belts. The parent gets the ticket if a child under 16 is not correctly buckled up. The driver gets the ticket if the parent is not in the car. The ticket could cost up to $270 per child; the fine for a second offense is $675. One point is added to the driving record, which could raise insurance rates. Part of the fine money goes to a special fund to help pay for local car seat education and distribution programs.

Important information for parents: Safety belts do not fit most children properly until they are at least 8 years old. To find out if a child is big enough to wear just a safety belt, use the 5-Step Test. Most booster seats are not recommended for children under 35-40 lbs. or under age 3-4. Special products are available for older vehicles without rear shoulder belts or young children who have outgrown a safety seat with a harness but are too active to sit in a booster wearing a lap and shoulder belt. For a copy of the 5-Step Test or information about using safety seats and boosters correctly, call SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Auto insurers are required to replace safety seats that were in use during a crash.

(V.C. 27315) Drivers and passengers 16 or older must wear vehicle safety belts. The driver may be ticketed for not wearing a belt and for each unbuckled passenger. Passengers also may be ticketed for not being correctly buckled up. The ticket could cost up to $22 for each person not correctly buckled up.

(V.C. 23116) Pickup truck passengers also must be correctly buckled up. The driver may be ticketed for letting passengers ride in the back of a pickup truck. If passengers are riding inside a camper shell, the parent or driver may be ticketed under the child restraint law or safety belt law.

Car crashes are the #1 preventable cause of death of children and young adults, as well as a major cause of permanent brain damage, epilepsy, and spinal cord injuries. A sudden stop at 30 miles per hour could cause the same crushing force on your child's brain and body as a fall from a three-story building. Fortunately, by buckling up children, we can prevent most of these deaths and serious injuries. SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. P.O. Box 553, Altadena, CA 91003

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