RF to 1 yr/20 lbs - law in ALL states??

This morning while watching the Today Show I was horrified to see a video of a family putting their kids in the car - they had their 10 month-old FF!!!! I don't know what state they are in (guessing east coast), but I thought for sure the 1 yr/20 lb law applies to all states! Am I right? I feel like emailing the show!

Unfortunately, it's not the law in all states...it should be, but it's not. I'm not sure which states it is a law in, but I know it's not in Virginia. Carseat laws just plain suck in most states!

not even a law in california...really only a couple states have it as laws. many seats list it for proper use, but britax doesn't.

Not in NC. Heck, today is the first day that you're not allowed legally to take your child out of their seat to meet their needs.

Wendy

It is in TN. Here, the state actually requires rf to 1 year, harnessed to 4, booster to 9. I think there are some caveats thrown in there for height and weight, and I think we've got that "meeting needs of the child" clause too, but other than that, it seems to cover bare minimums.

I am not sure if it is law in all states but at least she looked like she was sitting almost correctly in the seat. One of the older boys had a belly clip. She did not even look like a huge baby, i wonder if she is at the 22 lb minimum weight limit for her cosco seat.

We have a new safety seat law in WI (passed in January?) that requires kids under 1 yr to be rear facing, forward facing seat up to 4 yrs, and booster seat to 8 yrs or 80 lbs or 4'9" tall. I'm surprised that there are still states that don't have laws. I've always thought that we're a little behind the times here, but I guess not as behind as some other states! This is the new flyer to help parents comply with the law: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/child/docs/booster-seat-law-facts.pdf
The first page is kind of vague, but when you look at the 2nd page with the arrows, you can tell that all kids under 1 should be RF.
Oh, and the other big thing in the new law is that there is no longer a 'personal needs' exemption! Yay!

Though not codified in California, the one year and twenty pound rule is hopefully on its way. AB 881, a new assembly bill, has passed the California Assembly and is currently in the Transportation and Housing committee of the California Senate. The text of the bill would make it a law to have your children rear facing until at least age one and twenty pounds. If it passes, and the Governor signs it, the law would take effect January of 2009.

That being said, depending on what the car seat manufactuer says in their instructions, turning your child forward facing before age one and twenty pounds is illegal. California Vehicle Code section 27360 requires children to be properly secured when transported on the highway. Some manufactuer instructions require children to be rear facing until one year and twenty pounds. Britax manuals generally require rear facing until at least 20 pounds, with a recommendation from the AAP to be at least one year and twenty pounds. The Evenflo Triumph instructions require rear facing until one year and twenty pounds.

With the Triumph, because it is explicit, turning a child around before one year and twenty pounds, violates section 27360 of the vehicle code and is therefore illegal.

On a side note, California Vehicle Code section 27362, prohibits the selling of car seats that don't meet FMVSS. For those out there that find old nasty car seats on e-bay or Craigslist, you might want to let California sellers know about this law. In part, it states as follows: "(a) A manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer shall not sell, offer for sale, or install in a motor vehicle, a child passenger restraint system that does not conform to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards on the date of manufacture. Responsibility for compliance with this section shall rest with the individual selling the system, offering the system for sale, or installing the system." The maximum penalty upon conviction is 400 dollars and 90 days in jail. It doesn't pay to sell a bad seat in California. Should be a song lyric, no?

stayinhomewithmy3 said:

We have a new safety seat law in WI (passed in January?) that requires kids under 1 yr to be rear facing, forward facing seat up to 4 yrs, and booster seat to 8 yrs or 80 lbs or 4'9" tall. I'm surprised that there are still states that don't have laws. I've always thought that we're a little behind the times here, but I guess not as behind as some other states! This is the new flyer to help parents comply with the law: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/child/docs/booster-seat-law-facts.pdf
The first page is kind of vague, but when you look at the 2nd page with the arrows, you can tell that all kids under 1 should be RF.
Oh, and the other big thing in the new law is that there is no longer a 'personal needs' exemption! Yay!

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I'm in WI too and I always thought we were behind too. I was glad that the law changed. I've even been able to talk a friend back into a booster instead of that adjuster thing that goes on the seat belt.

SamPacey&Joshua said:

I'm not sure which states it is a law in, but I know it's not in Virginia.

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It's part of the new law going into effect July 1. :thumbsup:

Nope, not the law here! The law only states the child must be in an approved seat.....so, if your 9 month old is, say 20 pounds, and you have a seat which FF's at 20 pounds, then you can legally use it FF.

1yr/20 lbs is a **recommendation** not the law, in many places!

It is the law in Louisiana! And I always thought we were rather backwards... The cajun's are cutting edge for once! LOL

Its the law here in VT too. RF to one year/20 lbs. But But then it gets vague...

"A child weighing more than 20 pounds, and who is one year of age or older and under the age of eight years, shall be restrained in a child passenger restraining system (This means convertible, combination and booster child safety seats); "

So unless i am reading the law wrong, after one year a child in VT can be in any type of carseat? YIKES!

I think FL has very little for carseat laws too. I looked it up before I visited parents down there and its kids under 3 only need child passenger restraint!

WA state has recently passed a law that extends how long they are to be in a booster. i think the booster part up to 80 lbs just went into effect yesterday. before that it was booster up to 60 lbs or 6 years i believe. so now the law is 1 yr/20 lbs RF, 4 years or 40 lbs harnessed FF and Booster up to 8 years, 4'9 or 80 lbs.

i didn't realize laws were so different in all the states, i figured the basic 1 yr/20 lbs RF was pretty common. explains why a few years back realatives from another state never had their kids in carseats at young ages (like 3 and 4)when they came up to visit. i never would drive with them in my car because i wasn't sure on the requirements and didn't want a ticket and they didn't seem to think it was a big deal. scary to me now. i also only had a young baby and didn't realize the importance of making sure older kids were secrued properly.

Here's one for ya....

My cousin lives in California.

Her dd is now 3 but when her dd was I 10mos. old her pediatrician said she could forward face her because she was over 20lbs. and had been walking since 9mos. old so her neck was strong enough. I can't believe a doctor would say that and I can't convince my cousin that so not true.

1girltwinboyz said:

Its the law here in VT too. RF to one year/20 lbs. But But then it gets vague...

"A child weighing more than 20 pounds, and who is one year of age or older and under the age of eight years, shall be restrained in a child passenger restraining system (This means convertible, combination and booster child safety seats); "

So unless i am reading the law wrong, after one year a child in VT can be in any type of carseat? YIKES!

I think FL has very little for carseat laws too. I looked it up before I visited parents down there and its kids under 3 only need child passenger restraint!

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Yeah, but it might depend on 'proper use', too... for instance the Cosco High Rise is a backless booster with a minimum age of one, but also a minimum weight of 30 pounds. Cops don't carry scales, I'm sure you could pop your toddler into one of these things and say they are 30 pounds and you'd never get questioned....