• Arizona requires all children under five years of age to be restrained in a specialized car seat.seat belt receptacle image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
  
  Small children not seated in a specialized car seat risk pose a greater risk of injury during car accidents. Arizona sets strict guidelines for drivers with small children in the car. Residents familiar with the state's laws can make sure children are safe and avoid fines.
  
  

Children Under Five

• Arizona requires drivers to restrain all children under five years of age in a car seat or booster seat, regardless of weight. This includes infant seats, convertible seats and booster seats. Some exceptions to this law include buses, cars manufactured before 1972, transporting a child for emergency care or a situation where a booster seat will no fit in the vehicle.
  
  

Enforcement and Fines

• Law enforcement may stop any vehicle believed to violate the state's child passenger laws. The officer will then verify the age of the passenger with the driver. Drivers who violate the child passenger laws may face a fine of up to $50 per offense. This fine can be waived if the driver proves a child seat has since been properly installed.
  
  

Buckle Up Baby Campaign

• The City of Phoenix sponsors the Buckle Up Baby campaign, a hotline used to allow drivers to report those who are violating child passenger laws. Any driver who suspects someone is violating these laws may call 1-800-505-BABY. The person should provide the license plate number of the car, the city where this was observed and where the child was seated.