The Virgin Islands Police Department’s Office of Highway Safety urges caregivers to prioritize safe child passenger safety strategies in back to-school planning. In the territory, car seats and booster seats are required for child passengers under age 8 and less than 4’9” tall. Additionally, children under age 14 are required to ride secured in the rear.
“When students return to their campuses, our roadways experience an increase in traffic and, inevitably, a rise in crashes,” explained St. Croix Traffic Commander Arthur Joseph. “Drivers assume full legal responsibility for the safety of all passengers, including children.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats and booster seats are proven to reduce crash injuries for children. VIPD traffic officers across the territory will increase enforcement efforts targeting child restraint use and overall seat belt compliance.
For more information on the appropriate child restraint based on a child’s developmental level, contact the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through VIOHS Director Daphne O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov, or Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes, at denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov, or via telephone at (340) 473-7383.
