Harold's Super Service

School is back in session! Whether you have a school age child at home or not, we are all responsible for making sure they get home safe!! Remember to be cautious in your area, as bus stops are always changing and students move during the summer! Below is a reminder of Arkansas school bus laws, and what you need to know!!

!

REMINDER!! Make sure you take those winter coats OFF for children in your vehicle!!! When a child is wearing a winter coat, it may feel like they are strapped snugly into a car seat when the straps are actually dangerously loose. If you have children, or know someone who does - this is SO important. Children do not have a choice whether they are safe and secure in your vehicle - you must protect them!

Buckle the kids up for warmth AND safety! Here are a couple things you can do:

- For smaller children, put a blanket over them to keep them warm. (they usually like the snuggle effect anyway!)
- Only use aftermarket covers, essentially fitted blankets, designed to give additional warmth that are approved by the car-seat manufacturer for your specific car seat. Such covers have been tested with the seat and won't compromise your child's safety.
- For a bigger child, after securing him or her in the car seat, turn the coat around and put it on backward (with arms through the armholes), so the back of the coat serves as a blanket resting on top of the harness.

27-34-104 - Child Passenger Protection Act

Every driver of a motor vehicle who transports a child under fifteen (15) years of age, shall while the vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway, properly place, maintain, and secure the child in a child passenger restraint system properly secured to the vehicle and meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.

A child who is less than six (6) years of age and who weighs less than sixty pounds (60 lbs)shall be restrained in a child passenger safety seat properly secured to the vehicle.

If a child is at least six (6) years of age or at least sixty pounds (60 lbs) in weight, a safety belt properly secured to the vehicle shall be sufficient.

Although the law states after 6 years of age children can get out of a child passenger safety seat, we recommend that they still be in one, according to their weight and height. Listed below are the proper seat for each age group::

Birth to 12 months: A child under the age of one always rides rear-facing, or facing the back of the car. These children can ride in a rear-facing only carrier, a convertible car seat, or an all-in-one car seat.

1 to 3 years: Children should continue to ride rear-facing as long as possible. This is the safest way for children to ride in a motor vehicle. They should stay in the rear-facing car seat until they reach the upper weight or height limit allowed by that seat for rear-facing, until at least age 2. These children ride in a rear-facing-only carrier, a convertible car seat, or an all-in-one car seat.

4 to 7 years: Children should ride in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the upper weight or height limit of that car seat. The top tether should always be used when forward facing, unless the weight limit has been reached. These children ride in a convertible or a combination car seat.
8 to 12 years: Children should use a high back booster or a backless booster when they have outgrown the forward facing seat with a harness until they can properly fit a seat belt. Boosters are used with lap and shoulder seat belts only.
13 years and up: Children should only move to a lap and shoulder seat belt when they properly fit. By proper fit, the shoulder belt must lay flat on the shoulder, the lap belt portion stays low on the hips (not the stomach), and the child's knees should bend over the seat with their feet touching the floor.
Children should not be front seat passengers until they are at least 13 years old.

Listen up!!!! If you are involved in an automobile crash - and your vehicle IS movable - MOVE IT! One of the first things a dispatcher or law enforcement officer will tell you to do after being involved in a crash, is to move to a safe location out of the roadway.

Unless someone is injured and unable to move, or the vehicle is disabled - there is no reason not to move your vehicles to a safe place, whether that is on the shoulder of the road or even in to a near by parking lot.

27-53-102. Accidents involving damage only to vehicle or personal property of another person — Removal of vehicle.

(a)
(1) The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended by any person or to the personal property of another person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to the accident as possible, and shall immediately return to and remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of § 27-53-103.

(2) Every stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

(b) An accident of this nature shall include all accidents that occur upon the streets or highways, upon the parking area of private business establishments, or elsewhere throughout the state.

(c)
(1) The driver shall remove his or her vehicle from the roadway, except that the driver may leave the vehicle in the roadway if the vehicle is disabled or there is a visible or apparent injury to a person.

(2) The removal of a vehicle from the roadway under this section shall not constitute an admission of liability nor a waiver of a claim for personal injury.
(d) A person who knowingly violates this section is upon conviction guilty of a:
(1) Class A misdemeanor if the amount of actual damage is one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more but less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000);
(2) Class D felony if the amount of actual damage is ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more; or
(3) Class B misdemeanor if otherwise committed.