The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under the age of two ride rear-facing in a child safety seat.
In addition to understanding proper child car seat installation and child car seat use, it is also important for parents and families to be aware of child seat safety laws. Each individual state has specific child car seat laws, which vary depending on factors such as age, weight, and height.
In addition, every state has a fine of some form if you violate state-specific laws, and some states also count the violation as one or more points on your driver's license. Car seat laws typically cover infants and toddlers under four years of age riding in a car seat or booster seat, while safety belt laws typically cover children five and up using the vehicle’s safety belt, but again, this varies by location.
Regardless of the differences, each state has one thing in common: some form of a child car seat law and penalty for violation. Before traveling out of state, or even cruising around your hometown with an infant or young child, be sure to take a moment to educate yourself on child-seat specific safety laws.
Here is a list of child seat safety laws specific for each state, including details on laws and penalties for violations:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Keep your family safe with information from YourMechanic and learn everything you can about child seat safety from how to install a child safety seat to how to use a child safety seat, and be sure to bookmark this page to stay up-to-date on child seat safety laws where ever you live or travel.
