Until November 6, the Midland Police Department is engaged in a campaign to educate and enforce laws created to protect children in motor vehicles. Federal safety standards have been proven to reduce deaths and injuries. Below are the standards that pertain to children in vehicles.
Infants:
Until they are at least one year of age and weigh at least 20 lbs., infants should be rear-facing to protect their head and neck. An infant should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with a frontal air bag unless there is a manual on-off switch that has been turned off.
The back seat is the safest place for children 12 and under.
Infant-only seats should be replaced with convertible seats (used both rear- and forward-facing) before the infant’s weight reaches the maximum limit for the seat and the child’s head is within one inch of the top edge of the seat.
Toddlers:
If they are over one year of age and weigh more than 20 lbs., toddlers may be seated in a forward-facing car seat. This same seat may be used until the child outgrows the height and weight limits for that particular brand of seat.
Children Ages 4-8:
When a child outgrows his or her convertible seat, a booster seat may be used. By law, children must be secured in this seat until they are 8 years old or they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Booster seats make the seatbelt in the vehicle properly fit the smaller frame of a child. The seat helps the lap belt fit across the top of the thighs and the shoulder belt fit across the shoulder. Without the seat, the shoulder belt can fall across the child’s face or neck and the lap belt can fall across the child’s stomach, both of which can cause severe injury to the child and/or not hold them in place.
Youth Ages 8-16:
All youth under 16 years of age must be secured in a vehicle with a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt. Also, they must be seated at all times. These standards apply regardless of whether the youth is seated in the front or back of a vehicle.
Violations of child restraint laws may result in citations issued to the operator of the vehicle. Penalties can result in a $100 fine for each violation.
Car Seat Check Program:
The Midland Police Department has five certified child safety seat technicians who can assist with installing and checking the installation of child safety seats. You can call any one of the following officers to make an appointment to have your car seat checked:
Days:
- Officer Berchert – 839-4648
- Officer Mayer – 839-4790, ext. 4771
- Officer Komara – 839-4790, ext. 4799
Nights:
- Officer Tait – 839-4790, ext. 4789
- Officer Klein – 839-4790, ext. 4779
Midland County residents may call the Midland County Sheriff's Records Division to schedule an appointment, at 989-839-4630. If you have any other traffic issues, questions, or concerns, please contact the Midland Police Department Traffic Hotline at 839-4714.
