• Pennsylvania law requires that children ride in safety seats.child in the car image by Natalia Pavlova from Fotolia.com
  
  The state of Pennsylvania imposes safety restraint requirements for child passengers. Proper safety restraints prevent a child from tossing around or ejecting from a vehicle in the event of an accident. Drivers have the responsibility of making sure passengers under age 18 are properly secured in their vehicles.
  
  

Requirements

• Pennsylvania law regulates vehicle restraints for children age 8 and younger. Under the law, drivers must secure children under age 4 in a child passenger restraint system and seat belt.
  
  Drivers must seat children at least 4 years of age but younger than 8 in a booster seat and seat belt. If the vehicle does not have shoulder safety belt, the law requires the driver to secure the child in a seat belt without a booster seat.
  
  Children age 8 but under 18 must ride in a seat belt regardless of the seat he occupies in the vehicle.
  
  

Exceptions

• All child restraints must be of appropriate size for the height and weight of the child passenger as indicated by the manufacturer's recommendations. Accordingly, exceptions to the "at least 4 but younger than 8" age category exist. Children within this age group who weigh less than 40 lbs. may ride in a child safety seat or child passenger restraint system rather than a booster seat. Additionally, children who weigh more than 80 lbs. or who are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall may ride in a seat belt without the use of a booster.
  
  

Exemptions

• In some instances a child can receive a medical exemption from Pennsylvania's child restraint requirements. To receive this exemption, the child must have a written and certified notice from a physician stating that the use of a child restraint is impractical.
  
  The doctor must provide the notice on the form provided by the Department of Transportation. The form must include: the doctor's name and office address; the date the form was completed; the child's name, age and weight; the medical or physical reason for the exemption; a recommendation for an appropriate restraint or statement that no such restraint is known; a recommendation for the length of the exemption period or condition in which it can cease; and other information the doctor believes relevant.
  
  The driver of the vehicle must carry a copy of this certification whenever transporting the exempt child.