Under Washington state law, who is responsible for ensuring that all passengers under 16 are properly restrained?

Under Washington state law, who is responsible for ensuring that all passengers under 16 are properly restrained?

• A. The driver
• B. The passengers themselves
• C. The vehicle manufacturer
• D. The police

Answer: (A)

In Washington, the driver is responsible for ensuring that all passengers under 16 are properly restrained. The law places the duty on the person operating the vehicle to make sure children in that age group are buckled and using the appropriate child safety seats or boosters as required. This means the driver must check and secure every under-16 rider before driving away. The other options don’t fit because the vehicle manufacturer doesn’t enforce restraint use for passengers, the police aren’t the ones riding in the car to secure restraints, and passengers under 16 aren’t the ones responsible for ensuring their own safety in these situations—the driver is.

In Washington, the driver is responsible for ensuring that all passengers under 16 are properly restrained. The law places the duty on the person operating the vehicle to make sure children in that age group are buckled and using the appropriate child safety seats or boosters as required. This means the driver must check and secure every under-16 rider before driving away. The other options don’t fit because the vehicle manufacturer doesn’t enforce restraint use for passengers, the police aren’t the ones riding in the car to secure restraints, and passengers under 16 aren’t the ones responsible for ensuring their own safety in these situations—the driver is.