Child Safety Seat Information

Please note: The following information should in no way be taken as an offering of legal advice. This is a presentation of material collected from various official web sites.

Remember that automobiles and their safety belts are designed with the average sized adult man or woman in mind. They are not adequate enough to protect small children.

The U.S. State Governments and Canadian Government have written car seat regulations and laws to protect children riding in automobiles. These laws have been written partly in response to child automobile fatalities, and partly to reduce, as much as is possible, the rate at which children are injured or killed in Automobiles.

While there are many questions parents have, 2 of the most common questions are:

1. Should my child be in a car seat?
2. When can my baby’s rear-facing car seat face forward?

The answer to question #1 is yes! The NHTSA now recommends that children stay in appropriate car seats through 8 years, 80 pounds, or up to 4'9". In recent years, many states have amended their laws to follow these guidelines. The ages and exact specifics can vary from state to state so make sure you read up on the requirements for your state to be sure.

The answer to #2 is generally for the first 18-24 months. That said, you should check with your doctor about his or her recommendations concerning your child's size and physical condition. Don't worry about the child missing out on the scenery or being too far away. At that age, the child can't make sense of the visual input, and when you don't properly put the child in this way you can risk injury, such as mild "shaken baby" syndrome.

Here are some quick tips on how to properly install a rear-facing car seat:

• Make sure the seat is firmly attached to your car.
• Make sure the harness straps are level and even.
• Keep the straps snug.
• Fit the straps through the seat, below baby’s shoulders so that the straps run up and over the shoulders.
• Place the chest clip level and in line with baby’s armpits.
• Place blankets, or other heavy clothing like sweaters over the straps, not under them.  (If you put these types of items under the straps, the bulk will actually keep the straps from fitting snugly.
• Keep the child's face out in the open, do not cover it.
• Keep the car seat away from active air bags.

General rules of thumb

A general rule of thumb is that children should be in a booster until their knees bend over the edge of the seat when sitting properly. You may want to use a seat belt adjust for some time thereafter.

In all cases. the safest place for a child under 12, often required by law, is in the back seat.

When traveling

When travleing, it is a good idea to know the state's rules and regulations are regarding driving in a particular state or country. For instance, those who would traveling to or considering immigration in Canada would do well to know what the laws are before they get there. Ignorance of the law will not keep you from getting a ticket should you get stopped by the police. State child safety seat regulations

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia 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 Canada