I can speak on this...

FOXNews.com - Report: Brad Pitt Lets Pax Ride in ATV Without Seatbelt, Helmet - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment

Okay I do not know the laws in New Orleans...but where I live I was wondering about kids on motorcycles so I called the DMV to find out what the regulations are...here's what I was told:

The federal safety seat/seat belt laws apply only to vehicles which have seatbelts as an option. Children under the age of 4 should not be taken on other vehicles but as long as they are old enough to reach the foot holds or hold on tight to the adult in control of the vehicle they are not in violation of any federal law.

There may be local state laws which address this issue, but not here in this state.

Oh and there isn't even anything saying that you have to provide a helmet for the child!

There is an expectation of "common sense" however the lack of common-sense is not a legally viable argument...nor could they really get away with charging anyone with "child endangerment" with the way things are worded--they basically leave it up to the parent to decide of the child is old enough.

So Pitt did not do anything legally wrong--nor would he have if he had taken the child on a snowmobile, a motorcycle, or jet-ski (although PFD laws come into effect there).

So this is a total NON-story trying to pass as a story.

must be a slow entertainment news day.