
Lake County Sheriff Rich Martin
Courtesy photoThe question of age, weight and/or height always comes up relating to child seat usage. It really all comes down to AGE and/or HEIGHT.
Here is a quick review of seat belts and child safety seats.
Michigan's Seat Belt Law: (MCL 257.710e)
- The Michigan seat belt laws, which first took effect in 1985, have achieved a usage rate of more than 94%.
- Michigan has a primary law which means law enforcement can stop and ticket drivers solely for not being buckled up.
- Passengers 8-15 years old must wear a seat belt in all seating positions.
- Drivers and front seat passengers must be buckled.
- The shoulder belt should fit snugly over the shoulder with the lap belt low on the hips. Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm or behind your back, is illegal.
- Fine amounts vary by area but generally are about $65 for a seat belt ticket.
Michigan's Child Passenger Safety Law: (MCL 257.710d)
- Children must ride in a car seat until they reach the maximum height and weight capacity of the seat.
- Children must be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall, whichever comes first.
- Children younger than age 4 must ride in a car seat in the rear seat if the vehicle has a rear seat.
- If all available rear seats are occupied by children under 4, then a child under 4 may ride in a car seat in the front seat.
- A child in a rear-facing car seat may only ride in the front seat if the airbag is turned off.
- Fines amounts vary by area but generally are about $120 for child seat safety violations.
CALLS FOR SERVICE: AUGUST 2022
It's time for the monthly "calls for service" report. This will provide you with an idea of the prior month's response for public safety services within the county.
- 3500/VCSA 2
- 911 Hang up 5
- 911 Text 1
- Abandoned Call 2
- Abandoned Vehicle 3
- Accidents Falls 33
- Active Shooter (Training) 3
- Alarms 32
- Allergic Reaction 8
- Animal Bites 2
- Animal Control 42
- Annoyance Threats 10
- Assault 11
- Assisting Other Agencies 36
- Attempt to Locate / Well Check 31
- Bear Compliant 1
- Bleeding 4
- Breaking and Entering 14
- Breaking and Entering in Progress 4
- Breathing Difficulty 42
- Burns 2
- Business Property Check 64
- Car Animal 3
- Car Deer 7
- Chest and Heart Problems 17
- Citizen Assist 13
- Civil Complaints 20
- Civil Standby 14
- Code K 8
- Covert Investigations 2
- CPR Child 3
- CPR Infant 3
- Criminal Sexual Conduct 2
- Diabetic 7
- Disturbance 12
- Domestic 20
- Driveaway 2
- Dumping Complaint 1
- EAS Notification 2
- EMS Assist 5
- EMS Transfer 59
- Fire Alarm 2
- Follow up 69
- Found Property 6
- Fraud 7
- Gas Odors 3
- Harassment 16
- Head Injury 2
- Headache 1
- Illegal Burning 1
- Jail Pick up/Transport 30
- Juvenile 5
- Juvenile Runaway 2
- Larceny 40
- Lift Assist 3
- Lines down 3
- Liquor Inspection 1
- Lost Property 1
- MDOP 6
- Medical Alarm 15
- Mental Emotional 19
- Missing Person 3
- Motorist Assist 6
- Open Line 2
- ORV Traffic Stop 36
- ORV Accident 7
- Overdose 1
- Pain Back Abdominal 7
- Personal Injury Accident 35
- PPO Request Violation 2
- Property Check 29
- Property Damage Accident 8
- Reckless Driver 18
- Reckless ORV 6
- Road Hazard 11
- Seizures 9
- Shooting Complaint 1
- Sick Unknown 73
- Silent Observer Tip 1
- Smoke/Unknown Fire 4
- SOR Check 1
- Special Event Coverage 8
- Stroke 13
- Structure Fire 8
- Suicide/Attempted Suicide 1
- Suspicious Person 11
- Suspicious Situation 26
- Suspicious Vehicle 19
- Traffic Stop 250
- Trespass 10
- UDAA 1
- Unconscious Unresponsive 20
- Unwanted Person 15
- Vehicle Fire 2
- VIN Inspection 3
- Warrant Arrest 7
- Water Incidents 3
- Watercraft Traffic Stop 6
- Weapons 2
- Wild Land Fire 4
— This information is provided to you for clarification on specific laws, and not legal advice. This is not to be construed as a personal opinion, agreement or disagreement of any specific law. Topics covered are for educational and informational purposes only. As needed, excerpts from other articles are used for reference and/or content. If you have any questions on any specific topic, you may always email me your questions to rmartin@co.lake.mi.us.