- Washington State's child restraint law is known as the Anton Skeen Act. According to the Washington State Booster Seat Coalition, Anton Skeen, the daughter of Walla Walla resident, Autumn Alexander Skeen, was killed in a rollover collision when she was 4 years of age. At the time, the Skeens were following state law--Anton was wearing an adult seat belt. As the Booster Seat Coalition points out, adult seat belts are not meant to secure small children. Anton slipped out of the belt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. In 2000, Washington became the first state in the nation with a booster seat law. It was strengthened on June 1, 2007.
- Washington law states that you must secure your child in a federally-approved child restraint device, according to the manufacturer's instructions, until her eighth birthday, unless she is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. You must restrain children who are eight years of age or older, as well as all children who are taller than 4 feet 9 inches, in an adult seat belt. When "practical to do so," you must situate children under the age of 13 in the back seat of your vehicle.
- For-hire vehicles, such as taxi cabs and public transportation vehicles, are exempt from Washington State's child restraint law. Additionally, the law does not apply to school buses, shuttles servicing airport terminals from parking lots and convention and hotel facilities and certain companies that transport sixteen or fewer passengers.
- As IIHS notes, the maximum fine for a first offense of Washington's child restraint law is $124. The law states that the jurisdiction where you committed your offense can waive your fine if, within 7 days, you provide proof that you acquired a child restraint device. You cannot qualify for this treatment on a second offense.
- The Washington State Safety Restraint Coalition provides specific guidance so that parents and guardians can not only comply with the law, but also ensure the best possible child passenger safety. They explain that infants should ride rear-facing in an infant seat for as long as the seat's manufacturer allows. Some infant seats convert in "convertible" car seats that accommodate toddlers until they weigh about 40 lbs. In some cases, you might use an infant-only seat. When your child outgrows this type of seat, the Coalition notes that you must purchase a new, forward-facing car seat, suitable for kids between 20 and 40 lbs., although some seats have higher weight limits. Booster seats come into play when your child is too big for a forward-facing child seat with harness. Use a booster seat until an adult seat belt fits your child properly, usually at 4 feet 9 inches tall.