Booster seats: These seats provide extra support for smaller bodies in the adult car seats and work with the car`s seat belts. There are different booster seats, but they are usually designed for use up to about 8 years or a height of 4`9″. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death among children in the United States. In 2020, 607 children* aged 12 and under were killed in car accidents and more than 63,000 injured. Of the children who died in an accident, 38 † were not wearing seat belts. Parents and caregivers can make a vital difference by ensuring their children are properly attached to every trip. 8 years and older: Once the weight and height requirements for booster seats are met, children can sit in adult car seats. Your child can stop using a booster seat between the ages of 8 and 12 once they are 4 feet 9 inches tall. Essentially, booster seats should be used until your child can safely wear an adult seat belt, with the lap straps and shoulder straps in a comfortable position. Exceptions: A child under 8 years of age and weighing at least 40 pounds is not exempt from the law. Such a child may use a lap belt instead of a car seat or booster seat if: Seat belts are made for adults and do not fit properly for young children.
Booster seats lift children so that the adult seat belt fits them. Booster seats place the shoulder strap on the shoulder and chest, not on the neck. Booster seats also keep the lap belt low above the hip and femur, not above the abdomen. Children who use booster seats are 59% less likely to be injured in an accident than children who wear only a seat belt. 2 to 4 years: Once the child has reached the recommended weight and height through the car seat instructions, they can switch to a forward-facing seat. The average child can upgrade to a forward-facing seat over 2 years old, and some child seats allow them to stay until they exceed 65 pounds. Check what the safety seat manufacturer recommends for your child seat. In Texas, children can only use a seat belt if they are 8 years old or older. The National Safety Council recommends that a child also be taller than 4`9″, weigh more than 80 pounds and be over 12 years old before getting into the front seat, although Texas law does not require this. A child must be taller than 4`9″ to sit in the front seat of a Texas car. Once a child is over 4`9″, children can sit in the front seat of a car in Texas with a knee brace or shoulder strap.
However, children under the age of 13 should never drive in the front seat of a vehicle with active airbags on the passenger side. 8) Can my child legally drive in a vehicle without a rear seat? If your child weighs more than 40 pounds before the age of 4, they will be best protected by using a five-point harness in a child seat with a higher maximum weight. Be sure to consider the child`s age, weight, height and behavioural maturity before putting them in a booster seat. A: Georgian law considers vehicles without rear seats. Additional guidelines added to these baseline guidelines are published by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Texas Department of State Health Department. In addition, the expanded state seat belt law, which went into effect Nov. 1, requires all passengers 16 and older to wear seat belts in the back seat of private vehicles, as well as taxis and ride-sharing. At Thompson Law, we understand the value of family. Nothing is more important and forward-looking than keeping your loved ones as safe as possible in precarious situations, such as on the road. When accidents happen, and especially when they cause injury to your children, you deserve help dealing with the consequences. 13 years: Children can sit in the front seat with their seat belt if their height and weight have exceeded the booster seat limits. Seat belts: Integrated seat belts are designed for adults, but once a child reaches a height of at least 4`9″, they are large enough for the seat belt design to be effective for safety.
Seat belts are one of the most effective safety measures in modern vehicles, and wearing seat belts improves the survival rate of passengers in car accidents by 50%. The straps should be worn on the body, with the lap belt placed on the hip and the shoulder strap on the front center of the chest and on the shoulder. All car occupants are required by law to wear seat belts in Texas. The increased safety they offer to all passengers is undeniable. Yes, car seats expire 6 to 10 years after the date of manufacture. The date of manufacture must be affixed to all car seats. It can usually be found on a sticker that includes the serial number, date of manufacture and expiration date, or cast into the shell at the back of the seat. If you can`t find the date a car seat was manufactured or expired, you should expect it to expire after 6 years.
Car seat manufacturers in the U.S. are not required to provide an expiration date, although most do today. Yes, car seat use laws vary from state to state in the United States. Every state and territory in the United States requires child seats for infants and children that meet certain criteria. However, the requirements for each condition vary depending on age, weight, and height. If the school bus used to transport your child to Headstart is a standard school system bus, this is not covered by this legislation. It states: “A child under 8 years of age may only sit in the front seat and be properly secured in a car seat or booster seat if: • the vehicle does not have a suitable rear seat to properly secure a child, or • all corresponding rear seats are occupied by other children.” Children cannot safely or legally ride in a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag. In addition, the vehicle must be equipped with a lap and shoulder harness when the child is seated in a booster seat.
Booster seats cannot be used safely or legally only with lap belts. In addition to carefully reading the manufacturer`s instructions, you can contact a certified child seat technician. A Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPS) can check that you have properly installed your car seats and teach you how to properly install and use a car seat yourself.