Parents may not be aware seats they are using have been recalled or had safety problems, which are concerns the police can address at safety seat inspections, he added. And the inspections could save drivers from traffic citations. County deputies enforce a zero-tolerance policy on children's safety in vehicles. If deputies spot small children without car seats or seatbelts bouncing around in cars, it's an automatic citation for the driver. Virginia law states children under 16 years-old should be placed in the backseat with seatbelts and small children and infants should be in car seats.
Drivers can receive traffic summons and face fines for children restrained incorrectly in vehicles.
In addition, when children are restrained properly, they are safer from severe injuries in traffic accidents. With a chapter at Danville Regional Medical Center, the organization focuses on preventing head and spinal cord injuries in children. Wiles said she hopes more families will come out to the safety inspections, because she would hate for them to get information about improperly installed seats too late, like after a bad accident. The main goal would be to give parents a sense of security. Officers who inspect the seats are trained and certified to properly install car safety seats.