Important Changes to Child Passenger Safety Laws

Aloha Saint Mark Parents,

I am writing to inform you of recent changes made to the child passenger restraint requirements in the State of Hawai`i.  These important changes became law with the recent passage of Act 122 and affect all those transporting children under the age of 10 years.

According to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation, “Act 122 amends requirements for child passenger restraint by requiring rear facing child safety seats for children less than two years of age, increases the age through which a child must use a child passenger restraint or booster seat to 10 years old, and raises fines for certain violations. An electronic copy of the new law that took effect on June 27, 2022, can be found on-line.”

Three of the Important Changes are as follows:

1. All children under the age of 2 must be restrained in a rear facing child safety seat.
2. All children between the ages of 2 and 4 must be restrained in a rear facing or forward facing child safety seat.
3. All children between the ages of 4 and 10 must be in a forward facing child safety seat or booster seat unless the child is over 4 ft. 9 in. tall.

For more information on child passenger safety and for information on local child safety seat inspection sites, please visit the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition website.

Aloha,

David Gaudi
Head of School