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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65037</law_id><section_number>46.2-1098</section_number><catch_line>Penalties; violations not negligence per se</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1097</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Operation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="10">Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="13">Child Restraints</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any person, including those subject to <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> of a juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span>, found guilty of violating this article shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of $50, which shall not be suspended in whole or in part, for a violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices required when transporting certain children; safety belts for passengers less than 18 years old required" href="/46.2-1095/">46.2-1095</a>; however, any person found guilty of violating &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices required when transporting certain children; safety belts for passengers less than 18 years old required" href="/46.2-1095/">46.2-1095</a> a second or subsequent time when the violations occurred on different dates shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of up to $500. An additional civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of $20 shall be imposed for failure to carry a statement as required by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Exceptions for certain children" href="/46.2-1096/">46.2-1096</a>. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices required when transporting certain children; safety belts for passengers less than 18 years old required" href="/46.2-1095/">46.2-1095</a>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">waive</span> or <span class="dictionary">suspend</span> the imposition of the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for a violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices required when transporting certain children; safety belts for passengers less than 18 years old required" href="/46.2-1095/">46.2-1095</a> if it finds that the failure of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> to comply with the section was due to his financial inability to acquire a child restraint system. All civil penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Child Restraint Device Special Fund as provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices; special fund created" href="/46.2-1097/">46.2-1097</a>.
		No assignment of demerit points shall be made under Article 19 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Regulations; appeals" href="/46.2-489/">46.2-489</a> et seq.) of Chapter 3 of this title and no <span class="dictionary">court</span> costs shall be assessed for violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Child restraint devices required when transporting certain children; safety belts for passengers less than 18 years old required" href="/46.2-1095/">46.2-1095</a>.
		Violations of this article shall not constitute <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> per se; nor shall violation of this article constitute a defense to any claim for personal injuries to a child or recovery of medical expenses for injuries sustained in any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> accident.</p></section></text><history>1982, c. 634, &#xA7; 46.1-314.5; 1989, c. 727; 1992, cc. 119, 405; 2002, c. 358; 2008, c. 714.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
