Safety Belts and Child Safety Seats
Illinois law requires all drivers and passengers (front and back seat) age 8 and older to wear safety belts even if the vehicle is equipped with air bags. Passengers under age 8 must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system as covered by the Child Passenger Protection Act. When riding in a truck with only a front seat equipped with safety belts, a child under age 8 must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system.
If a passenger has a disability or medical condition that makes him/her unable to secure his/her own safety belt, the driver is responsible for securing and adjusting the safety belt for that passenger.
It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure ALL passengers obey the safety belt law and the Child Passenger Protection Act. Anyone found guilty of disobeying this law is subject to a fine and court costs.
Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act
Law Change - Effective January 1, 2019
Requirements
- Children under the age of two (2) must ride rear-facing.
- Children under the age of eight (8) must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system. An appropriate system:
o fits the child;
o fits the vehicle;
o and is used according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. *
- The child restraint must be provided by parent or legal guardian.
- Every person transporting a child under age eight (8) is responsible for properly securing the child in the vehicle.
Exemptions
- Children weighing more than 40 pounds.
- Children taller than 40 inches.
- Children being transported in a vehicle weighing more than 9000 pounds.