California law raises age for mandatory car seats
Under a state law that takes effect Jan. 1, 2012, children under age 8 in California must be properly buckled into a car seat thats placed in the vehicles back seat. Previously, state law required that kids use car seats until age 6 or until reaching a weight of 60 pounds.
Children under age 8 are exempt from the new law if theyre at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall.
For each child under 16 who isnt properly secured in a car, either in a car seat or with a seat belt, the parents if theyre in the car or the driver can be fined more than $475 and receive one violation point on their California driving records.