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Question South Carolina Law
- Thread starter lourdes
- Start date
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Link to safety related laws in several risk areas for SC.
http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/safety-laws/find-safety-laws.html?legstate=SC
Car seat law:
"South Carolina’s law requires children ages 5 & under who weigh not more than 80 pounds to be secured in a child safety seat or belt-positioning booster seat in the rear seat, unless the child can sit with his or her back straight against the vehicle back seat cushion, with his or her knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching.
Children less than 1 year of age or who weigh less than 20 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 1 through 5 who weigh at least 20 pounds, but less than 40 pounds, must be secured in a forward-facing child safety seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 1 through 5 who weigh at least 40 pounds, but not more than 80 pounds, must be secured by a belt-positioning booster seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 5 & under who can sit with their back straight against the vehicle back seat cushion, with their knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching may be seated in the back seat and secured by a safety belt."
http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/safety-laws/child-passenger-safety-law-southcarolina.html
Susan
http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/safety-laws/find-safety-laws.html?legstate=SC
Car seat law:
"South Carolina’s law requires children ages 5 & under who weigh not more than 80 pounds to be secured in a child safety seat or belt-positioning booster seat in the rear seat, unless the child can sit with his or her back straight against the vehicle back seat cushion, with his or her knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching.
Children less than 1 year of age or who weigh less than 20 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 1 through 5 who weigh at least 20 pounds, but less than 40 pounds, must be secured in a forward-facing child safety seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 1 through 5 who weigh at least 40 pounds, but not more than 80 pounds, must be secured by a belt-positioning booster seat in a rear seat.
Children ages 5 & under who can sit with their back straight against the vehicle back seat cushion, with their knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching may be seated in the back seat and secured by a safety belt."
http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/safety-laws/child-passenger-safety-law-southcarolina.html
Susan
Lys
Senior Community Member
I really hate the wording on this.
It basically says you MUST use a FF seat if your child is 1yo/20. And, if you have an 18mon who is at least 40 lbs (not likely, but ok) they MUST use a booster.
Last edited:
laurengt
Active member
It doesn't say "not more than" before the higher weights for each weight range. That leaves me interpreting this to mean that you can use each seat type for longer/ higher weights. The use of "at least" for the lower weight in the ranges helps so that even if you have a lightweight child, you're not going to bump them up a seat type just because of age.
laurengt
Active member
lourdes said:
That is how I interpret the wording, yes. I do work in criminal justice, so I spend a good deal of time interpreting laws/ statutes. ;o). I could be wrong about their meaning, of course, but if I am I would think, if ticketed, you'd have a good case on your hands to fight it based on the language of the quoted law.
I hope that helps.
Brigala
CPST Instructor
I think you'd have to read the statute, not the Safe Kids summary, to be absolutely certain. There may be a specific clause in there that says a child may ride in the "more protective" category.
But I wouldn't worry about it. I'll do what's safest even if it technically breaks the law. Oregon law required all kids over 40 lbs to ride in a belt positioning booster until the wording was changed this year, but still promoted "best practice" on its official website of keeping younger, bigger kids harnessed. The law didn't really intend to force oversized two year olds into boosters, but at the time when it was written car seats which allowed harnessing over 40 lbs didn't exist; so it made sense when it was written (when the child outgrows the harness, move to a booster). Nobody ever got a traffic ticket for appropriately harnessing a larger child. If they had, I'm sure it wouldn't have held up in court.
But I wouldn't worry about it. I'll do what's safest even if it technically breaks the law. Oregon law required all kids over 40 lbs to ride in a belt positioning booster until the wording was changed this year, but still promoted "best practice" on its official website of keeping younger, bigger kids harnessed. The law didn't really intend to force oversized two year olds into boosters, but at the time when it was written car seats which allowed harnessing over 40 lbs didn't exist; so it made sense when it was written (when the child outgrows the harness, move to a booster). Nobody ever got a traffic ticket for appropriately harnessing a larger child. If they had, I'm sure it wouldn't have held up in court.
What part of SC are you moving to?
If you are asking for a first hand account of South Carolina and car seats, I live in SC. I RF my son until 2.5 years old. Everyone thought (and still thinks) I was way overprotective and was going to hurt his legs. At his request I turned him back RF for about a week at 4 years old. I had my seat checked during that week. They thought I was crazy, particularly the police officer getting certified, but no one said anything about the law. My son is still 4 and one of the only kids his age who are still harnessed. Most are in low back boosters if they are in anything at all.
Most of the people I know with kids have almost no information about car seat best practice...or even the bare minimums of the law. The area I am in has very few seat check events and even the inspection stations I have gone to provide almost no education. They are super nice, but only seem to know the minimum information and don't talk about extended rear facing, harnessing, boostering or anything. The last one I went to was familiar with the long belt method of installing the Frontier, lock off clips, latch limits for my car and checked that I had the harnesses correct for my kids. This guy was the most involved and knowledgeable that I have seen in my area. Most of the information I received from him was due to questions I asked not voluntary information. No CPST has ever asked me to uninstall and reinstall my seats.
Usage here is TERRIBLE. In my experience the police don't really pay attention to car seat usage unless someone is stopped for another reason and they are blatantly outside the law. It is highly unlikely you will get a ticket or anything other than funny looks from other parents. I doubt you will even be on their radar.
All that being said it is getting better. I know at least some pediatricians in my area are now talking about ERF. My SIL is still RF her 17 month old and that is a MAJOR accomplishment. She asked me every single time I saw her when I was going to turn my son around, but her pediatrician explained how RF protects kids so she let me install his seat RF. YAY!!!!
If you are asking for a first hand account of South Carolina and car seats, I live in SC. I RF my son until 2.5 years old. Everyone thought (and still thinks) I was way overprotective and was going to hurt his legs. At his request I turned him back RF for about a week at 4 years old. I had my seat checked during that week. They thought I was crazy, particularly the police officer getting certified, but no one said anything about the law. My son is still 4 and one of the only kids his age who are still harnessed. Most are in low back boosters if they are in anything at all.
Most of the people I know with kids have almost no information about car seat best practice...or even the bare minimums of the law. The area I am in has very few seat check events and even the inspection stations I have gone to provide almost no education. They are super nice, but only seem to know the minimum information and don't talk about extended rear facing, harnessing, boostering or anything. The last one I went to was familiar with the long belt method of installing the Frontier, lock off clips, latch limits for my car and checked that I had the harnesses correct for my kids. This guy was the most involved and knowledgeable that I have seen in my area. Most of the information I received from him was due to questions I asked not voluntary information. No CPST has ever asked me to uninstall and reinstall my seats.
Usage here is TERRIBLE. In my experience the police don't really pay attention to car seat usage unless someone is stopped for another reason and they are blatantly outside the law. It is highly unlikely you will get a ticket or anything other than funny looks from other parents. I doubt you will even be on their radar.
All that being said it is getting better. I know at least some pediatricians in my area are now talking about ERF. My SIL is still RF her 17 month old and that is a MAJOR accomplishment. She asked me every single time I saw her when I was going to turn my son around, but her pediatrician explained how RF protects kids so she let me install his seat RF. YAY!!!!
lourdes
Well-known member
Things there are just the same here about that issue, my brother has 4 kids and the 6 and the 7 year olds are using low back turbos, at least..... I will be staying with him for some time and when I was there last christmas he told me I was crazy and one of my nieces told me that my DDs car seat was not install correctly, she said "it has to go looking forward, not backward"...... But they only said it ones and never mention it again. My brother know I will have DD rear facing until I can get the top tether install but I don't know what to do when I am traveling with him in his car, he has top tethers so I will have no excuse... I am not ready to turn her yet!
I will be moving to Greenville, to the Simpsonville area.
I will be moving to Greenville, to the Simpsonville area.
rachelandtyke
Well-known member
I was at Wal-Mart on Woodruff Road the other day and about fell over to see an older child rfing!
I have asked about the law here before. I think when the law was written, it was trying to accomplish best practice with the seats available at the time. The seats update a lot more quickly than the law. I follow best practice and will deal with the law if I were to ever get in trouble for it. Best practice (or even meeting minimums) is rare here as it is.
I have asked about the law here before. I think when the law was written, it was trying to accomplish best practice with the seats available at the time. The seats update a lot more quickly than the law. I follow best practice and will deal with the law if I were to ever get in trouble for it. Best practice (or even meeting minimums) is rare here as it is.
lourdes
Well-known member
rachelandtyke said:I was at Wal-Mart on Woodruff Road the other day and about fell over to see an older child rfing!
I have asked about the law here before. I think when the law was written, it was trying to accomplish best practice with the seats available at the time. The seats update a lot more quickly than the law. I follow best practice and will deal with the law if I were to ever get in trouble for it. Best practice (or even meeting minimums) is rare here as it is.
Thats great! I have never seen a toddler RF here besides the ones I take care for
CaseyRN
New member
I was at Wal-Mart on Woodruff Road the other day and about fell over to see an older child rfing!
Wonder if it was me? Haha! Although I usually go to Walmart after the kiddos go to bed so probably not......but that is the one I go to!
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