Occupant Protection

• Click It or Ticket (CIOT)
  

  The District's Click It or Ticket program runs concurrently with the national campaign, maximizing public awareness of the benefits of buckling up.

• Project Safe Child
  

  Project Safe Child is a child safety program that allows residents to purchase infant, toddler, and booster seats at reduced rates.

The District has one of the strongest, most comprehensive seat belt laws in the nation. After the law was enacted in 1997, seat belt use increased 24 percent. Injuries were prevented. Lives were saved.

DC Law

• DC's Child Restraint Amendment Act of 2002 requires that children less than eight years old must be properly seated in an installed infant, toddler or booster child safety seat, and booster seats must be used with both a lap and shoulder belt.
• DC law requires that all children ages 8 and older, as well as all adults - both driver and passengers, wear seat belts at all times.

It Will Cost You

• For drivers who do not properly secure child passengers; first offender fines are now $75, plus two points on the operator's license.
• First-time offenders can choose to pay $25 and attend a Child Passenger Safety Workshop.
• For second-time offenders, the class plus $75 fine are mandatory.
• Fines increase to $125 for a third offense and $150 for subsequent offenses.
• Penalties for seat belt violations are $55 for child passengers and $50 for adults, plus two points on the driver's license.

It takes a few seconds to fasten a seat belt: it is simple, yet it can be the most significant action you can take to protect your life and those you care about. Seat belts are designed for adults and children who are at least 8 years old. For maximum protection, it's important to wear your lap and shoulder belt properly.

• Step 1: Pull belt across body
  Sit in any of your vehicle’s seats and secure the three-point harness in its buckle by pulling it across your body. Be sure that the belt is snug and is not twisted.
• Step 2: Adjust lower belt
  Adjust the lap belt snuggly across your lap and pelvis area – never your stomach. Sit with your back upright. Pregnant women should wear the lap belt below their belly, not on or above it.
• Step 3: Adjust shoulder belt
  Adjust the shoulder belt to fit comfortably across the collarbone and chest. It should never rub on your neck or face. Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.

DC law requires that any child up to 16 years of age must be properly installed in a child safety seat or restrained in a seat belt. Children under 8 years of age must be properly seated in an installed infant, convertible (toddler) or booster child seat, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Booster seats must be used with both lap and shoulder belts.

The penalty for violating DC’s child safety seat law is a fine of $75 and 2 points on driver’s license. This applies to any person operating a motor vehicle in the District of Columbia. The police can stop a driver in the District solely for not having a child properly restrained.
The following penalties are possible:

Protect your children as they grow older by following the steps below. Remember to have safety seats inspected on a regular basis. Seat belts can seriously injure or kill small children who are not properly placed in child safety seats.

These certified technicians are trained to check for proper installation and use of child restraints, and are good resources for information.

• Scheduling a Safety Seat Fitting.
  Individuals interested in having their child safety seat fitted may do so at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Children's Hospital or through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Information about scheduling appointments is included in the contact information below.

Each child safety seat check/installation may take as little as 10 minutes or as long as 50 minutes, depending on the car seat, the vehicle, or the number of seats to install.

Persons receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) can purchase one (1) car seat for $20.00. You must provide a statement showing you have been approved. The statement cannot be over six months old and must be accompanied by proper identification, such as photo driver or non-driver's license issued by the DC Department of Motor Vehicles or a voter registration card accompanied by photo identification. You will also need to attend a Child Passenger Safety Workshop.

For More Information, call (202)-671-2350

• Click It or Ticket
• NHTSA's Four Steps for Kids and Safety Seat Ease of Use ratings
• Safe Kids USA Child Passenger Safety
• American Academy of Pediatrics Car Safety Seats
• Choosing Safe Baby Products: Infant Seats & Child Safety Seats
• CDC Child Passenger Safety: Fact Sheet
• Safety belt use laws