Submitted Photo Caring for children while in a vehicle is important for their safety and provides some peace of mind for parents. State law requires that children be properly buckled into safety seats.

Keep them in car seats as long as you can.

That’s the advice from Bobbi Dickinson of Minot’s First District Health Unit in regard to children riding in vehicles. Failure to buckle children into car seats is not only dangerous, it is against the law.

The North Dakota Century Code, 39-21-41.2, states that “If a child, under 8 years of age, is present in a motor vehicle, that vehicle must be equipped with at least one child restraint system for the child” and that “While the motor vehicle is in motion, the child must be properly secured in the child restraint system in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.”

A fine of $25 was levied in Municipal Court earlier this week against a parent who failed to comply with the law.

“Some of it is kids not wanting to be in car seats,” said Dickinson. “It’s almost like we take them out of car seats for our own convenience but we need to keep those kids safe in the vehicle.”

First District Health Unit does car seats checks which gives parents the assurance that child car seats and situated correctly and installed properly.

“We do that by appointment,” said Dickinson.

State law requires “each child of eight through seventeen years of age” be in an approved child restraint system or correctly buckled in a safety belt.”

Sometimes children will buckle into a lap belt but place the shoulder harness behind them because it doesn’t fit properly or feel comfortable. That, says Dickinson, can lead to serious problems in the event of a vehicle accident.

“Kids can actually come out of the seat belt when not using a shoulder harness,” explained Dickinson. “That will cause internal and tummy injuries.”