Q: Are officers required to validate height/age of children before ticketing for booster seat law in Kentucky?
I was taking my 10 and 7 year old daughters to church 3 miles from our house in my single cab Chevy S10.The middle buckle was lodged under the seat and I couldn't get it freed up.I always wear my seat belt but given the circumstances,I elected to keep my kids safe and went without buckling myself up so my daughter in the middle could use my buckle and I took them to church as safely as I possibly could at that moment.I had parked in a parking spot at the church and the officer came up behind my vehicle with blue lights on drawing attention and embarrassing the kids and myself.He never asked either of their ages or checked their heights to see if they were even required to be in booster seats.I also attempted to show him I could not dislodge the middle buckle so instead of depriving them of church, which they love,I got them both buckled up as safe as I could and took them.He absolutely did not care and proceeded to write the no seatbelt and both booster seat tickets even for the 10 Y/O
A: They are not required to validate height or age before writing the ticket.
A:
No, police officers aren’t required to validate the height or age of the children. But you can bring these facts to the attention of the judge at your trial.
Verify the height and age requirements for a passenger not needing a booster seat. If your children meet those requirements, bring a certified copy of their birth certificates and a photograph of the children standing next to a ruler (doctor’s offices, amusement parks, and convenience stores often have them for measuring patients and patrons).
It’s no excuse that you were late to church. That sounds lame and a little entitled. Get your middle seatbelt fixed. And wear your own seatbelt when your kids are in the car. It sets a good example. You could be hurt or killed if there is an accident which would be traumatizing to your kids, and if you’re bouncing around the car in an accident, you can’t control your car or your body to reduce the risk of seriously injuring your kids.
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