(625 ILCS 25/1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1101)

Sec. 1. Title and citation. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Child Passenger Protection Act".

(Source: P.A. 83-8.)

(625 ILCS 25/2) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1102)

Sec. 2. Legislative Finding - Purpose. The General Assembly finds that a substantial number of passengers under the age of 8 years riding in motor vehicles, which are most frequently operated by a parent, annually die or sustain serious physical injury as a direct result of not being placed in an appropriate child passenger restraint system. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children of every age from 4 to 14 years old. The General Assembly further finds that the safety of the motoring public is seriously threatened as indicated by the significant number of traffic crashes annually caused, directly or indirectly, by driver distraction or other impairment of driving ability induced by the movement or actions of unrestrained passengers under the age of 8 years.

It is the purpose of this Act to further protect the health, safety and welfare of motor vehicle passengers under the age of 8 years and the motoring public through the proper utilization of approved child restraint systems.

(Source: P.A. 102-982, eff. 7-1-23.)

(625 ILCS 25/3) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1103)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The terms "highway", "motor vehicle", "owner", "police officer", "recreational vehicle", "roadway" and "street" as used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning ascribed to them in The Illinois Vehicle Code, as now or hereafter amended. For the purpose of this Act, "motor vehicle" does not include motorcycles.

(Source: P.A. 83-8.)

(625 ILCS 25/4) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1104)

Sec. 4. When any person is transporting a child in this State under the age of 8 years in a non-commercial motor vehicle of the first division, any truck or truck tractor that is equipped with seat safety belts, any other motor vehicle of the second division with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less, or a recreational vehicle on the roadways, streets or highways of this State, such person shall be responsible for providing for the protection of such child by properly securing him or her in an appropriate child restraint system. The parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of 8 years shall provide a child restraint system to any person who transports his or her child.

When any person is transporting a child in this State who is under the age of 2 years in a motor vehicle of the first division or motor vehicle of the second division weighing 9,000 pounds or less, he or she shall be responsible for properly securing the child in a rear-facing child restraint system, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.

For purposes of this Section and Section 4b, "child restraint system" means any device which meets the standards of the United States Department of Transportation designed to restrain, seat or position children, which also includes a booster seat.

A child weighing more than 40 pounds may be transported in the back seat of a motor vehicle while wearing only a lap belt if the back seat of the motor vehicle is not equipped with a combination lap and shoulder belt.

(Source: P.A. 100-672, eff. 1-1-19.)

(625 ILCS 25/4a) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1104a)

Sec. 4a. Every person, when transporting a child 8 years of age or older but under the age of 16, as provided in Section 4 of this Act, shall be responsible for properly securing that child in seat belts.

(Source: P.A. 92-171, eff. 1-1-02; 93-100, eff. 1-1-04.)

(625 ILCS 25/4b)

Sec. 4b. Children 8 years of age or older but under the age of 19; seat belts. Every person under the age of 18 years, when transporting a child 8 years of age or older but under the age of 19 years, as provided in Section 4 of this Act, shall be responsible for securing that child in a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt or an appropriate child restraint system. This Section shall also apply to each driver over the age of 18 years who committed an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of Section 6-107 or Section 12-603.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code in the 6 months prior to the driver's 18th birthday and was subsequently convicted of the violation, until such time as a period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of Section 6-107 or Section 12-603.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(Source: P.A. 96-607, eff. 8-24-09; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)

(625 ILCS 25/5) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1105)

Sec. 5. In no event shall a person's failure to secure a child under 8 years of age in an approved child restraint system constitute contributory negligence or be admissible as evidence in the trial of any civil action.

(Source: P.A. 93-100, eff. 1-1-04.)

(625 ILCS 25/6) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1106)

Sec. 6. Penalty.

(a) A first violation of this Act is a petty offense punishable by a fine of $75.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this Section, a person charged with a violation of Section 4 of this Act shall not be convicted if the person produces in court satisfactory evidence of possession of an approved child restraint system, as defined under this Act, and proof of completion of an instructional course on the installation of a child restraint system pursuant to Section 6a of this Act. The chief judge of each circuit may designate an officer of the court to review the documentation demonstrating that a person charged with a violation of Section 4 of this Act is in possession of an approved child restraint system and has completed an instructional course.

(c) A second or subsequent violation of this Act is a petty offense punishable by a fine of $200.

(d) Subsection (b) of this Section shall not apply in the case of a second or subsequent violation of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-914, eff. 1-1-11.)

(625 ILCS 25/6a)

Sec. 6a. Child passenger safety instructional course.

(a) As used in this Section, "technician" means a person who has successfully completed the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standardized National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program and who maintains a current child passenger safety technician or technician instructor certification through the current certifying body for the National Child Passenger Safety Training Program as designated by the NHTSA.

(b) A person in violation of Section 4 of this Act may schedule a child safety instructional course with a technician. The instructional course shall include instruction on the proper installation of a child restraint system. The instructional course shall also include an inspection of the child restraint system. At the time of scheduling, the technician shall notify the person that the instructional course must be completed prior to the mandatory court appearance date on the person's citation for a violation of Section 4 of this Act.

(c) Prior to beginning the instructional course, the person must present a copy of the citation of a violation of Section 4 of this Act to the technician.

(d) The technician shall be observant for any citations with the notation "no safety seat" in the notes field and discuss with the person, for the purpose of determining the person's need for a child restraint system, the person's reasons for not transporting the child in a child restraint system.

(e) Upon completion of the instructional course to the satisfaction of the technician conducting the course, the technician shall issue a letter to the person for presentation in court. The letter shall:

(1) be printed on a form or in a manner required by the Illinois Department of Transportation;

(2) indicate that the person has voluntarily participated in the instructional course and received instruction from a technician regarding the proper use of the person's child restraint system; and

(3) include (i) the date the instructional course was completed, (ii) the citation number presented to the technician under this Section, (iii) the county in which the citation was issued, and (iv) the technician's signature and technician number.

(Source: P.A. 96-914, eff. 1-1-11; 97-26, eff. 1-1-12.)

(625 ILCS 25/7) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1107)

Sec. 7. Arrests - Prosecutions. The Illinois State Police shall patrol the public highways and make arrests for a violation of this Act. Police officers shall make arrests for violations of this Act occurring upon the highway within the limits of a county, city, village, or unincorporated town or park district.

The State's Attorney of the county in which the violation of this Act occurs shall prosecute all violations except when the violation occurs within the corporate limits of a municipality, the municipal attorney may prosecute if written permission to do so is obtained from the State's Attorney.

The provisions of this Act shall not apply to a child passenger with a physical disability of such a nature as to prevent appropriate restraint in a seat, provided that the disability is duly certified by a physician who shall state the nature of the disability, as well as the reason the restraint is inappropriate. No physician shall be liable, and no cause of action may be brought for personal injuries resulting from the exercise of good faith judgment in making certifications under this provision.

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)

(625 ILCS 25/8) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1108)

Sec. 8. The "Child Passenger Restraint Act", enacted by the 82nd General Assembly, is repealed.

(Source: P.A. 83-8.)

(625 ILCS 25/9) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1109)

Sec. 9. This Act takes effect July 1, 1983.

(Source: P.A. 83-8.)