On Wednesday Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation that encourages parents to more properly secure their children in car seats when driving.
On Wednesday Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation that encourages parents to more properly secure their children in car seats when driving. House Bill 4691 is sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Michael Zalewski (Riverside) and Sen. Louis Viverito (Burbank) and allows for penalties for parents who do not secure their children properly. The new law takes effect Jan. 1. Under the new law, the fine for a first violation of the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act increases from $50 to $75, and fines for subsequent violations increase from $100 to $200. Quinn said safety must be a priority when transporting young children. “There is nothing more sacred than the safety of our children,” he said. “This important new law will encourage parents to properly secure their young children while driving and help save lives on Illinois’ roads.” The legislation also encourages parents to get proper child safety education. Parents who complete a certified child passenger safety course and own an approved child safety seat will be eligible to have their fine for the first violation dropped. Current Illinois law requires children under eight, who weigh more than 40 pounds, do not have to ride in child safety seats as long as they are buckled into a lap belt in the back seat. Quinn added that he continues to work hard to reduce traffic crash fatalities while improving traffic safety. He has already signed legislation that prohibits the use of cell phones in construction zones and bans text messaging while driving on all Illinois roads. Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender
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