Key points
The driver and all passengers, front and rear, must wear safety belts.
Source: Handbook p. 26
“Under Virginia law, the driver and all passengers, both front and rear, must wear safety belts.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 26A driver carrying anyone under 18 must make sure that passenger is properly secured, wherever they sit.
Source: Handbook p. 26
“A driver transporting anyone younger than age 18 must ensure that the passenger is properly secured in a safety belt, booster seat or child safety seat no matter where the child is seated in the vehicle.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 26Seat belts can double your chances of surviving a crash.
Source: Handbook p. 26
“Wearing seat belts, also called safety belts, can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 26With air bags, sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“Move your seat back so that you are at least ten inches from the steering wheel.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27Children 12 and under are safer buckled up in the back seat.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“Children ages 12 and under are safer buckled up in the back seat.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27All children under 8 must ride in a child safety seat or booster seat in vehicles made after January 1, 1968.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“All children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat when riding in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27Children should ride rear facing from birth to 2 years, or as long as the seat maker allows.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“Children should ride rear facing from birth to 2 years, or as long as the safety seat manufacturer allows.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27A child restraint violation brings a $50 fine, and a later offense could mean $500.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“If you are convicted of violating the child restraint law, you will be fined $50. A second or subsequent offense could mean a $500 penalty.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27It is illegal to carry children under 16 in a pickup truck bed, even with a camper shell.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“It is illegal to transport children under age 16 in the bed of a pickup truck, even if equipped with a camper shell.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27The safest place for a child safety seat is the center of the back seat.
Source: Handbook p. 27
“The safest place to install a child safety seat is in the center of the back seat.”
Virginia Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 27
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | passengers the driver must make sure are properly secured | Handbook p. 26 |
| 10 inches | minimum distance from the steering wheel with air bags | Handbook p. 27 |
| 12 and under | children safer in the back seat | Handbook p. 27 |
| Under 8 | children who need a child safety seat or booster | Handbook p. 27 |
| January 1, 1968 | vehicles made after this date are covered by the child seat law | Handbook p. 27 |
| 2 years | minimum age to ride rear facing | Handbook p. 27 |
| $50 and $500 | fines for a first and a later child restraint offense | Handbook p. 27 |
| Under 16 | children who may not ride in a pickup truck bed | Handbook p. 27 |
3 questions from the Virginia practice test
1. Who is responsible for making sure a passenger under 18 is buckled in a Virginia vehicle?
- The vehicle owner
- The child's parent, even if not present
- The passenger, once age 16
- The driver, no matter where the child is seated
Show answer
The driver, no matter where the child is seated. Under Virginia law the driver and all passengers, front and rear, must wear safety belts, and a driver transporting anyone younger than 18 must ensure that the passenger is properly secured in a safety belt, booster seat or child safety seat no matter where the child is seated. Wear the lap belt low against the thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest, never behind the back.
2. In which vehicles must Virginia children under 8 ride in a child safety seat or booster?
- Vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968
- Only vehicles with rear seats
- Only vehicles built after 2000
- All vehicles including antiques
Show answer
Vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968. All children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat when riding in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968. Children should ride rear facing from birth to age 2 or as long as the seat maker allows, and a rear facing seat may go in front only if there is no back seat and no active passenger air bag. A first violation costs $50, and a later one up to $500.
3. May children ride in the bed of a pickup truck in Virginia?
- Yes, if the truck stays under 35 mph
- No, transporting children under 16 in a pickup bed is illegal even with a camper shell
- Yes, if a camper shell is installed
- Yes, on private roads and highways alike
Show answer
No, transporting children under 16 in a pickup bed is illegal even with a camper shell. It is illegal to transport children under age 16 in the bed of a pickup truck, even if it is equipped with a camper shell. A truck bed has no belts and no crash protection, and a shell does not change that. The same section says never to leave a hatchback open with a child in the back seat. Children belong in a belted seat inside the cab.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with laws and paperwork questions from the free Virginia practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the Virginia Driver's Manual, Section 4: Seat Belts, Air Bags and Child Safety Seats. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.