As the booster car seats are life-saving equipment for the children, the administration has taken initiatives to ensure its proper use across the USA. However, some may violate the rules unknowingly and pay fines. To ease your journey with a booster car seat, I’ll discuss the booster car seat laws in the USA.
I strongly believe that you are not violating the rules consciously. So, read the article to properly understand the laws and ensure the best use of the seat. Stay tuned to learn about the booster car seat rules and recommendations.
What is the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)?
NHTSA issues Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to prevent and reduce vehicle crashes. As a part of the law, the basic features of a car seat and the children’s restraint system have also been described.
Throughout the article, we mentioned the FMVSS 213; you may ask what is said in this section. Here, the section is explained. 213 (a) reads, requires child restraints designed to seat children weighing up to 18.1 kg (40 lb) or for children in a height range that includes heights up to 1100 millimeters (43.3 inches) to meet performance criteria when tested in a dynamic test replicating a vehicle-to-vehicle side impact.
The child restraints must provide proper restraint, manage side crash forces, and protect against harmful head and chest contact with intruding structures.
The FMVSS says the vehicle will be equipped with independent child restraint anchorage systems consisting of three anchorage points- two lower anchorage and one upper anchorage. Each 6 mm bar lower anchorage will be located at the intersection of the vehicle seatback and cushion, where the passenger will not feel it. The upper anchorage is a top tether anchorage. These anchorage systems will be required at two rear seating positions of the car.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s booster car seat guidelines
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has booster car seat guidelines that will help you select a seat that fits best to your children. The NHTSA made this recommendation based on the size and age of the children.
Select a seat that suits your car most and fits your baby. To ensure the seat will fit your children, read the manufacturer-instructed height and weight limit.
However, its recommendation is described here;
Rear-facing car seat:
From birth to 3 years, the infant must travel in a rear-facing car seat. As rear-facing car seats are the most secure for children, keep them in them as long as possible. When they outgrow the rear-facing car seat height and weight, shift them to a forward-facing car seat.
However, you can move your children to a forward-facing car seat at the age of 1 if he or she outgrows the rear-facing car seat height and weight.
Forward-facing car seat:
Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether from 3 to 7. During this time, the children are expected to be in a forward-facing car seat. Move to the next stage when they reach the top limit of height and weight recommended by the manufacturer.
Booster car seat:
If your child outgrows earlier, you can move them to a booster car seat at the age of 4, but still in the car’s back seat. Finally, when he or she ages between 8 and 12, you can move him or her to a booster car seat without hesitation.
What is The booster car seat law in the USA?
The USA has a law dedicated to ensuring road safety. As a part of the law, they tried to ensure that children used the restraint system properly. In the law, the child restraint system (I.e., Booster car seat) is defined as a device designed for use in a motor vehicle or aircraft to restrain, seat, or position children who weigh 36 kilograms (80 lb) or less. However, there is an exception for type I and II seat belts.
It says that if anyone violates the law, they will be punished with a certain amount of fines by the law enforcement agency. The amount and child restraint standard could vary from state to state. But there is a lower and higher limit of fines and age.
The amount could be 10 to 100 dollars, while the age limit for using a booster car seat could be between 6 and 18.
what is the booster car seat law in different states?
Although the law is almost the same in every state, there are some differences, too. Here, I mentioned some of the administratively and economically important state booster car seat regulations to help you with the problem related to seatbelts.
Booster car seat regulations in Washington
Children must be properly secured in a rear-facing booster car seat until age two or until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the restraint set by the manufacturer. After this level, children who are not properly secured in a rear-facing booster and are under the age of 4 must be properly secured in a forward-facing booster with a harness until the child outgrows the seat.
After that, children who have outgrown the forward-facing car seat with harness will sit in a belt-positioning booster car seat until they are under 4.9 inches tall. They may remain in a belt-positioning car seat until the seat belt fits properly, typically between the ages of 8 and 12.
Finally, when your child reaches 5 feet of height, he or she can sit in a regular car seat.
You will be punished with a 124-dollar fine if you violate the rules.
Booster car seat belt law in California
Here, in the state, children under the age of 8 must be secured in the back seat of the vehicle in an appropriate booster car seat meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards. Children under two years old or 40 pounds in weight or 40 inches in height must use the rear-facing booster seat in the vehicle’s rear seat.
Children under the age of 8 who are 4′ 9″ or taller may be secured by a safety belt in the back seat. Finally, children 8 years old and over shall be properly secured in an appropriate belt-positioning booster car seat.
The state law also instructs to keep children in the back seat until age 8 when available and not to insert a rear-facing car seat in the vehicle’s front seat with an airbag.
The fines can be an amount of 100-250 dollars!
Car seat belt law in Florida
Children aged 3 and younger must be secured in a crash-tested federally approved child restraint device, and children 4 through 5 must be secured by either a crash-tested federally approved child restraint device, integrated child seat, or booster seat.
Children 6 and above must be secured with a vehicle seat belt.
Where to install the booster car seat is not specified in this state. However, if you break the law, you will be punished with a fine of 60 dollars.
Car seat belt law in Texas
Children aged below 8 must be secured in a child passenger safety seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system. The child passenger safety seat system is described as an infant or child passenger restraint system that meets the federal standards for crash-tested restraint systems set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If a child is under 8 years of age but at least 4.9 inches in height, the child may use the vehicle seat belt.
Fines have been destined to be between 25 and 250 dollars!
Car seat belt law in Pennsylvania
Children under 2 years of age must be secured in a rear-facing booster car seat, and they will be using this until the child outgrows the maximum weight and height limits designated by the manufacturer. Children under 4 years of age shall be securely fastened in a child passenger restraint system as provided in subsection (d).
Children 4 but younger than 8 years of age shall be securely in a fastened safety seat belt system and an appropriately fitting child booster seat, as provided in subsection (d).
Subsection (d) says that a child passenger restraint system shall be used as designated by the system manufacturer in motor vehicles equipped with seat safety belts and shall meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.
According to the subsection, a child booster seat shall be used as designated by the system manufacturer in motor vehicles equipped with seat safety belts. It shall meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard designed to elevate a child to properly sit in a federally approved safety seat belt system.
Additional clarifications are included in the Pennsylvania Code (the official codification of rules and regulations issued by Commonwealth agencies) Chapter 102.
If you break the seat belt law in this state, you will be fined 75 dollars.
Car seat belt law in Alabama
According to this state’s law, children through age 6 shall properly use an aftermarket or integrated child passenger restraint system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. You have to secure your child with a size-appropriate restraint system, which shall include the following:
· Infant-only seats and convertible seats are used in the rear-facing position for infants until at least one year of age or 20 pounds
· Convertible seats in the forward position or forward-facing seats until the child is at least five years of age or 40 pounds
· Booster seats until the child is 6 years of age
If you fail to follow this rule, you will be finned 25 dollars.
What does New York law say about the car seatbelts?
This state law also says the same thing as we previously mentioned. The law reads that children must remain in an appropriate child restraint system until age 8. An appropriate child restraint system meets the child’s size and weight and the manufacturer’s specifications. It also explains the child restraint system as a child safety seat, harness, vest, or booster seat.
As per the law, children under four must be secured in a specifically designed seat that meets FMVSS 213 and is either permanently affixed or affixed with a seat belt. It shall be a rear-facing seat until the child is 2 years old or until the child exceeds the height and weight of the rear-facing car seat. Children under four but more than 40 pounds will sit in an appropriate child restraint system installed with lap and shoulder belts or a lap belt only if the vehicle does not have a seat with lap and shoulder belts.
Children four or older but younger than 8 must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system. Children 8 through 16 must be restrained using a lap-shoulder belt. But also, according to this language, technically, parents would not be allowed to install a car seat with LATCH as it says the seat has to be “affixed to such vehicle with a safety belt.”
As the car safety belts are not fit for children less than 4.9 feet high, the law excluded seat belts from the child restraint system. Children under four must be restrained in a federally approved car seat while riding a school bus.
However, if you break the law, you will be punished with a 100 dollar fine.
When do you allow your children to use regular car seatbelts?
When your child outgrows the maximum height and weight of the booster car seat or can sit in a regular car seat without the support of a booster car seat, you can allow them to sit on a regular car seat.
When the lap belt rests on the upper thighs, not on the stomach, and the shoulder belt rests across the shoulder and chest without the support of a booster car seat, consider them fit for a regular car seat.
Why should I follow the booster car seat recommendations by the NHTSA?
Child restraint systems, i.e., booster car seats, are the most effective way to protect young children in motor vehicle crashes. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that if booster car seats are properly installed and used, the number of deaths in motor vehicles can be reduced by 71 percent.
A four-state study sponsored by the agency found that nearly 80 percent of child restraints were improperly installed or used. Every year, an average of 230 children aged 0-6 are killed, and nearly 66,000 are injured in motor vehicle crashes while sitting in child restraints. An estimated 68 deaths and 874 nonfatal injuries could have been prevented if misuse of child restraints were eliminated.
To tackle this problem, NHTSA fixed a standard for the child restraint attachment system. To keep your children safe and sound, you must know the standards and the laws related to seat belts and child boosters.
Conclusion
The rules are developed with the safety protocol for your children in mind. So, follow the rules to secure your and your children’s future. Data also says that only by using the booster car seats properly.