Child seat fine in 2021: size, how to avoid and how to challenge

Good afternoon, dear reader.

In 2021, all passengers in a vehicle equipped with seat belts must wear seat belts.

As for small children, they must ride in special child seats that ensure safety in the event of an accident.

This article will discuss the fine for transporting a child without a child seat:

Fine for not having a child seat in the car.
50% discount when paying a fine.
Situations in which a chair fine may be imposed.

Rules for transporting children

According to the requirements, the child can be accommodated during the trip in the passenger compartment of a passenger car or in the cabin of a truck. Traveling in the back of a minor is strictly prohibited. It is forbidden to resort to carrying the driver on a motorcycle behind.

It is not recommended to hold a baby in your arms, as in the event of an accident the risks of injury and death to an unbelted passenger increase. Maximum safety is achieved only by installing a car seat. Below explains how to transport children according to age category.

Grudnichkov

For babies up to six months old, special cradles are used. There are several types of devices depending on the permissible weight. There are models that can withstand 10, 15, 20 kg. The baby lies in a structure that is installed in the back seat across the movement of the car. The device takes up 2 seats, the passenger is secured with internal belts.

Sometimes the cradle is placed in front, next to the driver. In this case, the structure is positioned so that the baby has his back to the movement.

The recommendations are based on the fact that the baby's skeletal tissues are not sufficiently developed. Approximately 30% of the total body weight is in the head. Sudden stops and weakness of the neck muscles provoke a large load on the spine. If the baby is lying down, the risk of skeletal fractures during emergency braking is reduced. A child over six months old who sits confidently is allowed to be transported in a car seat.

Up to 7 years

You can drive with a child of this age category when the car is equipped with an ISOFIX child system, a car seat or seat belts. The special seat must be firmly in place in the rear seats. When sitting in front, be sure to fasten the passenger and use a fastening system.

Up to 12 years

A minor in the back seat and in the cab of the truck is secured with seat belts. But it is advisable to use a chair in the front seat of the car. If the child is too large, a fastening system is used.

After 12 years

Amount of fine for lack of technical inspection in 2021

At this age, the passenger is old enough to be in the car wearing a seat belt. But this applies to children taller than 1.5 m and lighter than 36 kg. With less height and weight, they continue to use special designs.

Security requirements

When transporting children, in addition to the presence of a seat, a number of other rules must be observed. If the driver neglects them, then regardless of whether there is a car seat in the car or not, he risks getting a fine. Basic safety requirements specified in the traffic rules:

The driver must have a first aid kit in the cabin.
Minors are prohibited from being transported in a trunk or trailer.
When installing a car seat in the front seat, the airbag must be turned off.
It is forbidden to leave a child alone in a car.
When traveling in a car, the car doors must be closed.

Compliance with these standards significantly reduces the risk of negative consequences.

Note!
The driver also needs to take into account other traffic rules to eliminate the risk of injury and damage while driving.

How to use child seats correctly

Recommendations:

The equipment is installed using special brackets and belts. The fastening system is fixed in the direction across the movement.
If the seat is located next to the driver, you need to disable the airbag. The use of this item does not provide for the protection of children. On the contrary, if the system is activated during an accident, injury and asphyxiation may occur to a minor.
When it comes to a 12-year-old passenger above 1.5 meters, an airbag is connected.

For proper installation, choose the most suitable design. Focus on body weight. There are 3 main groups:

0 is intended for a child weighing up to 10 kg, 0+ for babies up to 13 kg;
1 means that body weight is between 9 and 18 kg;
2nd for a child 22 – 36 kg.

It must be remembered that FEST adapters, previously used as fastenings for seat belts, are prohibited from being used today. Since July 2021, the company has been deprived of its license to produce adapters. This is caused by the product not meeting the requirements for transporting children. A traffic police officer who notices the presence of such an adapter must act according to the instructions and issue a fine.

Another popular device, boosters, can be used when transporting a minor. But only for fixing a passenger over 7 years old. This is an analogue of a chair in the form of a seat with built-in armrests, but without internal seat belts and a backrest.

The design is very light and compact. The frame is made of plastic, foam or metal. The most reliable last option. Despite the rigid base, the child can sit comfortably in the protective device, as it is lined with soft fabric.

The booster literally lowers the standard belt from the child's neck to the chest area. Short adults often face the same problem. They also benefit from using a booster seat rather than sitting on a pillow or folded blanket.

The chair is secured with standard straps. The child in the device is secured with ISOFIX. If there is no such system in the design, standard belts are used to hold the baby in a secure position.

According to doctors, the safest is a car seat equipped with built-in locking devices. It provides a snug fit. The child is maximally protected from both direct and lateral collisions.

Some important details when choosing a car seat

There are many recommendations on how to choose a car seat and what criteria it should meet.

But let us once again recall the basic nuances:

Car seats can have two types of belt attachment. In order not to receive a fine, you can use any car seat - both with standard and improved fastening - ISOFIX. But for the safety of the baby, the second type of fastening is better.
Equipping car seats with seat belts. If the baby is an infant, then you need a special cradle with special additional straps that will properly secure the baby. It is better to give preference to five-point belts.
The frame of the device can be made from different materials. The most reliable option is an aluminum frame.

It is also worth remembering that the car seat can be equipped with additional headrests, protective sides, etc. This is safer and more comfortable for the child. Also, the surface of the chair itself can be made of both synthetic and natural materials. Of course, preference is given to cotton materials.

And finally, I would like to say: car seats that meet these characteristics are available in different price categories and from different manufacturers. You can always choose the best combination of price and quality.

Fines for not having a child seat

The amount that is collected from a negligent driver:

from an ordinary driver 3,000 rubles;
from an official 25,000;
from legal 100,000.

The amount of the fine is established by Federal Law No. 138 of May 1, 2021.

When a traffic police officer stops a car in which a child is being transported without the use of special structures, a fine is issued. The driver is required to present a compulsory motor liability insurance policy. If the document has expired or is not available, the driver receives an additional monetary penalty for lack of insurance.

You have 70 days to pay the fine. However, there is a “discount” for conscious drivers. If the money is transferred within 20 days after the violation, the amount is reduced by 50%.

Legislative framework for 2021

The transportation of children in vehicles is also regulated by clause 22.9 of the Road Traffic Rules of the Russian Federation.

This paragraph clearly states that when driving with a child in a car, special structures are used, which include:

seat belts;
boosters;
car seats;
pillows.

The design should be selected taking into account the age category and weight of the children.

Despite the fairly strict rules, parents often make claims to modern laws:

it is not taken into account how difficult it is to transport a disabled child;
after issuing a fine, the driver continues driving, although there are still no safety equipment;
Tall young children find it uncomfortable to be in a car seat;
The law does not specify how to transport children in old-style cars that are not equipped with seat belts.

Such objections have not yet been taken into account by legislators. But it is possible that in the future they will develop standards based on the listed shortcomings.

Penalties for incorrect installation

Do not think that monetary penalties are imposed only for the lack of a child seat. It is equally important to securely fasten the structure.

What the fine is for:

The seat is positioned backwards in relation to movement. In case of sudden braking and an emergency situation, such an installation provokes severe injuries and death.
The device does not correspond to the age and weight of the child. You need to choose an item in the store together with your offspring, actually trying on a chair.
If the baby has outgrown the old structure, it is necessary to purchase a new one in the near future. Often children who have reached the age of six months and older continue to be carried in a cradle. But the baby is clearly cramped in it. And this also negatively affects the condition of the skeleton.

The legislation regarding child car transport devices has not been revised since 2021. It is possible that the standards will soon be adjusted, despite complaints from drivers about the pickiness of traffic police officers. It must be remembered that we are talking about the life of a child, for whose health serious consequences can occur even as a result of a minor injury.

Additional reasons

It is worth considering that a fine for a violation can be issued even if a car seat is installed, but it does not correspond to the age characteristics of the passenger. The payment amount is equal to the above figures, that is, it is equal to the sanctions for the absence of a car seat in the vehicle.

Similar sanctions may be imposed if:

The car seat is not suitable for the child's body type.
There is more than one child in the restraint.
The car seat is not secured in accordance with safety regulations.

Features and nuances

1. Drivers have the option to pay only half of the fine. A 50% discount applies if the fine is paid within 20 days. As a result, the amount of penalties will be 1,500 rubles. The standard period for paying a fine is 70 days from the date of receipt.

Traffic fines with a 50% discount

2. Starting from 2021, children under 7 years old cannot be left alone in a car. The punishment for such a violation is a verbal warning or a fine of 500 rubles (in the capital and St. Petersburg - 2,500 rubles). This rule was introduced to prevent children from becoming scared, hypothermic or overheating if left unattended in a car.

3. According to experts, the safest place is behind the driver. At the same time, it is inconvenient to watch the child there, so many drivers sit their children in the second row in the center to keep an eye on them through the mirror in the cabin.

Legal contradictions

With the introduction of sanctions, difficulties arose with traveling for large families. If previously three children could usually fit in the back seat without seats, now only two children can be seated on the chairs. Therefore, additional costs arose not only in connection with the purchase of restraint systems, but also with the replacement of the vehicle.

Taxi drivers also had problems. Not all clients inform in advance that they will be traveling with a child, as they will have to pay the “child” fare, which is usually twice as much. Therefore, the driver is faced with a choice. If you carry a child without a car seat, there is a risk of being fined. And refusal to travel means loss of income.

What are the downsides to car seat laws?

Quite often, large families have difficulties with the law on child seats. The car can comfortably accommodate two, or rarely three, seats, but without them all four or even five children could fit in the back seat.

Another disadvantage is fines for taxi drivers. Sometimes parents deliberately do not warn that there will be a child in the cabin, so as not to increase the cost of the trip. When the inspector stops the car, the wine falls on the taxi driver. In extreme cases, the fine for parents will be 3,000 rubles, and for the driver - 25,000 rubles.

Who pays if the baby is not fastened?

It would seem that the violator himself or his guardian should pay the fine, as happens when children are not wearing seat belts. However, in our situation the situation is somewhat different.

The law makes it clear that the driver pays the fine . What is the reason for this situation? Well, firstly, the reason is that an administrative fine can be paid by a citizen over 16 years of age. Children are a priori considered children under 14 years of age.

From this age they begin to take responsibility for their misdeeds. But we are talking specifically about children. Accordingly, they cannot answer for such an offense. Secondly, the driver of the vehicle is fully responsible for the life and safety of passengers - therefore, he will also have to answer for any violations committed.

ATTENTION : Even if the child is not yours, the law makes no exceptions. On the one hand, this state of affairs is correct - after all, you are responsible for your car, and therefore for everything that happens to it.

We talked in detail about the rules for using a restraint when driving in a car and what punishment is provided for the fact that a child is not fastened with stationary seat belts, we talked in this article.