North Carolina
NC lawmakers set to discuss changes to child car seat law
State law covering child safety seats in cars could be about to change.
A bill expected to go before the NC House this week would update the rules for which children need to ride in a safety or booster seat, and where in a vehicle they can ride.
The changes could mean some kids will need to return to using a car booster seat if the measure becomes law.
House Bill 368 comes from the NC Child Fatality Task Force, an advisory panel that makes policy recommendations to lower the number of children who die each year in North Carolina.
Current state law on child safety seats goes by a child’s age or weight. When a child reaches the age of 8 years old or 80 pounds, regardless of how tall they are, they can use a regular seat belt instead of a child safety seat or booster seat.
But the law doesn’t take into account the height of the child, and height is very important in terms of how a shoulder safety belt fits. Think about amusement park rides: they go by how tall a child is, not how much they weigh, to determine if they can ride safely.
Kids are also getting bigger and heavier these days, so it’s more likely that a child could weigh 80 pounds but not yet be tall enough to be safely restrained by a regular shoulder belt.
The bill also spells out how a shoulder belt should fit a child to be considered a safe restraint.
The changes would also affect the smallest passengers.
Child safety advocates recommend that infants ride in the backseat in a rear-facing safety seat. But state law doesn’t currently require it.
Under H368, newborns would have to be secured in a rear-facing seat in the backseat – never in the front seat of a car with an active passenger air bag system unless the car seat is designed to work with front air bags, according to the manufacturer and the federal safety label.
As child passengers get older, they would be able to transition to front-facing seats and booster seats following federal labeling on the car seat.
If the bill passes the state house this week, it still would need to pass the state senate – and likely get the governor’s approval – before becoming law.
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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