Rules for Car Seats
Every child car seat comes with an instruction booklet. To provide your child with optimal safety, install the car seat properly--according to the instructions. Even though you think you can figure it out without the instructions, read them anyway. Some car seats are installed differently than others, and new versions of car seats may have new instructions. State laws control the age and size a child must be when they no longer need a car seat. By following the rules, you can keep your child safe.
State Laws
The age at which a child no longer needs a car seat varies by state. For example, in Alaska, a child can stop using a car seat, or a booster seat, at the age of four; in Arizona the age is five; in Montana the age is six; in Missouri it is seven; and, in Indiana, eight. Elitecarseats.com has an up-to-date chart that shows the age requirements by state.
Stages
Using a car seat properly is important for your child's safety. The type of car seat your child needs is based on the size of your child. All infants under 20 pounds, and under one year of age, should always sit in a rear-facing car seat. Once they are one year old and over 20 pounds, she can move on to a forward-facing car seat. If your child is 20 pounds but is not one year old yet, she should remain in a rear-facing car seat. When the child outgrows the forward-facing car seat, usually at around 40 pounds, she can move on to a booster seat.
Installation
When installing a car seat, make sure the car seat is tight. Tug on the seat. The car seat should not move away from the seat of the vehicle by more than one inch. The straps of the harness on a rear-facing car seat should be in the slots at or below the child's shoulders--not above. The straps on a forward-facing car seat should be at or above the shoulders, not below. The straps should fit snugly. When using a booster seat, the vehicle's seat belt should go over the child's chest and snap into the clip, as if it were being used on an adult.
Older Children
When your child is about eight years old, and reaches 4 feet 9 inches tall, he is ready to leave the booster seat. Once again, refer to your state laws. The seat belt should go across the middle of the chest, not the neck. The child should sit comfortably straight up, without slouching. Do not let the child tuck the seat belt behind his back. Never allow children to share a safety belt; this is illegal and unsafe.
Reminders
If you use a second hand car seat, make sure it is working properly. Most manufacturers recommend a car seat stop being used once it reaches six years old. If a car seat has been damaged--pieces missing or large cracks in the plastic--stop using it. Just because a car seat is a higher price, does not mean it is safer. Check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to make sure the car seat has not been recalled (see Resources for website link). Finally, set a good example for your child by wearing a seat belt yourself.
Tags: your child, booster seat, seat belt, forward-facing seat, make sure