Virginia law requires drivers and front seat passengers to wear safety belts and to ensure that children under age 16 are properly restrained.

Each adult passenger (16 and older) is legally responsible for himself. However, the driver should try to get all passengers to buckle up. As the driver, it is your responsibility to make sure that all children under age 16 are properly restrained.

The driver is responsible for all children under age 16 in the vehicle. All children under age 16 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or with a safety belt no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle.

The major requirements of Virginia's Child Safety Belt Law include:

Children between 6 and 16 years of age must be belted correctly in vehicle safety belts, in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968. Exemptions are taxicabs, school buses, executive sedans and limousines.

This safety belt law is primary enforcement no other violation need be committed prior to ticketing for failure to have a child correctly buckled up.

A $50 civil penalty fine will be imposed. All fines collected go into a special fund to purchase safety seats for low income families.

With Virginia's Child Safety Seat Law a $50 civil penalty fine is imposed for failure to have a child in a safety seat. A $20 civil penalty fine is assessed when persons transporting a child exempted from this law due to medical reasons do not carry a written statement of the exemption. All fines collected go into a special fund to purchase safety seats for low-income families.

We did not see any points assigned to these seat belt offenses but would normally be placed on your driving record however you may want to check with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to be certain.