Are There Any Car Seat Laws You Need to Know?

Putting your child in a car seat isn’t something you do just to safeguard against an accident. There are car seat laws in place that enforce mandatory car seats. Also, there are also certain rules that you’ll have to follow to make sure you understand the proper age for a car seat.

With that in mind, take a look at the information below to learn more about laws about car seats.

Federal Car Seat Laws

There are federal car seat laws that mandate the manufacturing of car seats. These laws are regulated by the states, but the approval of car seats and booster seats are monitored by the federal government. Car seat manufacturers do an in-house test on the products first.

However, they have to meet federal standards before going out on the market. The manufacturer does self-certify to make sure that the car seats are up to federal guidelines and the government does routine checks to verify that the companies are in compliance.

And/Or Rules

Most car seat laws have a list of requirements that are followed by “and”, which typically means that that your child’s car seat should meet every single recommendation in order to fully comply with the law.

For instance, if the law states that your child must be 12 months old and 30 lbs to use a forward-facing car seat, then both requirements must be met. Your child must be one years old and weigh at least 20 lbs. Otherwise, they’ll have to continue with a back-facing seat.

On the other hand, there are rules and regulations that are defined by “or. In those situations, only one of the requirements has to be met in order to follow car seat laws. You’ll likely notice the “or” rule in regards to booster seats.

For example, the law may state that your child can ride without a booster seat once they reach 7 years old, 5 ft tall, or 85 lbs. Whenever your child reaches either one of those, they are permitted to ride without the booster.

When you’re traveling with children, it’s always a good idea to check the car seat laws for that state if you taking a road trip. However, it’s understandable if you can’t meet every requirement when you’re traveling. But just make sure that you follow the recommendations of the state where you are licensed and registered.

To learn what the car seat laws are for in your state, check out this link.

Following Car Seat Laws

As the information above explained, car seat laws are both state and federal regulations. When you are transporting a child, it’s imperative that you follow these guidelines, even if the child is a bit older. Doing so can ensure that you are not held responsible if your child is hurt in an accident.

If this information was helpful, feel free to read more of our blog posts. We publish content related to legal matters that’ll help you when need expert advice.