Child restraint laws by state

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Mama Jo

New member
According to what's stated, my state doesn't require a child to be RF under 1 and 20 lbs. Only for a child under 5 to be in some sort of restraint.

But then again, I suppose the actual law states that the seat needs to be used according to manufacturer specifications.... which would place a child less than 1 and 20 RF.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Yup. Especially if your state has a statement in the law that seats must be used correctly/properly/according to directions.
 

Mama Jo

New member
I just looked up NE and from what I can tell, it's wrong for NE too.

It appears that Nebraska requires a child restraint or booster up to age 6. No height or weight guideline. (Although I've seen billboards all over the city instructing parents to leave their children in a booster until they are 4'9" with no age mentioned.) And then age 6 to 18 must be in a seatbelt. I'm also pretty sure that any front seat passenger as well as the driver must be in a seatbelt regardless of age, but backseat passengers over age 18 do not need to be in a seatbelt.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
the MA listing is incorrect

We are an 8 OR 4'9" state, not an 8 AND 4'9" state, unfortunately.

Actually, I think it's correct on the IIHS site.

The IIHS site says that children "7 years and younger and less than 57 inches" must be in a child restraint. That means that if the child is over 7 years OR over 57", they don't legally need a child restraint. So ... it IS saying "or." (bolding mind)
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Best Practice education doesn't necessarily have to give voice to an inadequate law, though. Google your law and find out, I'm sure it IS only 6.
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
No, it's right for NE. There are no weight/height restrictions here, just age. Once a child is 6yo, they can legally use an adult belt w/ no booster/carseat. AJ will be sans carseat a week from today, totally kidding! ;) We are a proper use state though, so that's rfing till the manufacturer says a child can be ffing (this is different for different manufacturers) and being the right size for a booster etc. There were some great billboards up for a while for best practice (or general rule for best practice) but it is not reflected in state law.

We also do not have a primary seatbelt law. So while it's required that front passengers and anyone else under 18 in the vehicle be belted, you cannot get ticketed for it unless you are pulled over for something else. So once a child is 6, they techincally will only get in trouble for them not being belted in if they do something else wrong. If the driver has a provisional operators permit (POP) though, everyone has to be buckled no matter age or seating position. Anyone else hate my state laws much?
 

jujumum

Well-known member
It appears correct for Florida.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=CH0316/SEC613.HTM&Title=->2001->CH0316->Section%20613

"Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used."

I hadn't actually read the statute verbatim before. The 'federally approved' language would rule out an MT for me.
 

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