It is also risky for your child to play with the seat belt and put it under their arm or behind their back. In the event of an accident, this can lead to damage to the ribs and internal organs or to the head, neck or spine. Proper Use – This means that the car seat is used according to the instructions for that particular car seat. These instructions include installation, the use of the child meets the size requirements. Federal approval – This means that the car seat meets the federal standards set out in FMVSS 213. The car seat manufacturers themselves certify that the car seat meets federal standards by testing the child restraint system to ensure that it meets certain accident criteria. And/or – If the law says „and“, it means that the child must meet both (or all) of the criteria set out in the law. „Or“ means that the child can meet one criterion or another. While booster seats with high backrests are the safest of the two, booster seats without backrests tend to be smaller and lighter, making it easier to move. They can also fit a wider range of sizes and weights, meaning a child can use a backless booster seat for a longer period of time without parents having to buy a new one. But they don`t come with head restraints – so if your car doesn`t offer a head restraint, or if the seat back isn`t high enough to reach your child`s ears (thus protecting the bottom of the skull), this isn`t the best type of booster seat for your child.
Car seat laws vary from state to state, which can be confusing, especially if you`re traveling to different states. We`ve made it easy for you by researching and maintaining a full list of car seat laws for each of the 50 (and more) U.S. states here. We review each state`s laws annually and update them as changes are made. Children can stop using a booster seat if – and only if – the car`s seat belt fits properly without the aid of a booster seat. This usually happens between the ages of 10 and 12, when the child is nearly five feet tall or weighs 120 pounds. But every child and every car is different, so make sure your vehicle`s seat belt fits that child before you ditch that booster seat. • High-back seat weight requirements: Children can use a high-back booster seat when exiting their car seat, typically when they reach 40 to 65 pounds until they weigh 120 pounds. When it came time to give baby the perfect car seat, you were everywhere.
You understood why it was important to have one, and what could happen without one. But booster seats remain a mystery to many parents. Did you know, for example, that most children are not ready to get out of a booster seat until they are at least 10 years old, sometimes even 12 years old? What about seat belts? He should sit on your child`s lap, never on his stomach. Confused? You`re not alone – that`s why we`re here to tell you everything you need to know about booster seat safety. • Age requirements for backless booster seats: From the time children exceed the weight or height restrictions allowed by their car seat until they are approximately 8 to 12 years old (depending on the child`s height). California law requires all children under the age of two to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 pounds or more OR is 40 inches tall or more. Keep your child in rear- and forward-facing seats for as long as possible. Don`t rush to put a child in a booster seat before they`re ready. Booster seats are recommended until a child reaches a height of 4`9″.
Before you zoom out, check out these important booster seat safety tips so your child can have the safest ride. Twelve may seem old to you – and your state`s law may not require you to wait that long. (Also, your older child may complain that „none of his friends“ are in a child seat yet.) But if your child is not tall enough for the seat belt to pass through their body in the right places when they buckle up, it can be dangerous for them to ride without a booster seat. Is your child ready to get into a booster seat? There are actually different types of boosters to choose from. Read on to find out how they differ and what the booster seat requirements are. Michigan Car Seat Act Last revised/updated 10/10/2020 {There was a bill that was considered to make amendments to the law in 2017-2018, but it appears it did not pass until it became law at that time.} • Weight requirements for booster seats without backrests: From the moment children reach the maximum weight of their car seat, until the adult seat belt puts them on without the aid of a booster seat. (More on this below.) If you answer no to any of these questions, your child will still need a booster seat. This applies even if your child has met the height and age requirements for booster seats set out in your state law.
• Do not leave a loose empty booster seat in the back seat. Without the weight of the child, the booster seat can fly to the front seat when you least expect it! So keep it in the trunk or buckle it up. Children under 8 years of age must be restrained in a car seat or booster seat. Children 8 years of age OR 4`9″ or older may be restrained by a booster seat but wear at least one seat belt. As your child grows, they will switch to different types of restraint systems, from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing seat and then to a booster seat. This type of restraint system increases a child`s height so that the seat belt adjusts properly. There are laws governing the safe use of booster seats, but they vary from state to state. Forty-eight states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require children who have outgrown their car seat — but are still too small to safely use an adult seat belt — to use a booster seat; the only states that don`t are Florida and South Dakota.
(Do you want to know exactly what your state`s law says? See the state-by-state guide on the Governors Highway Safety Association website.) • Check and adjust the booster seat approximately every six months. You don`t have to check it every day, but you should adjust it as your child grows so that the head and neck are properly supported at all times.