According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14 is motor vehicle crashes. One of the best ways to protect your child from serious injury or even death in the event of a crash is to make sure you follow the recommended rules and safety procedures of child car seats. While actual laws vary from state to state, there are general rules you can follow to help keep your kids safe, which mostly focus on the age of the child.
Rear Facing Seats
The NHTSA recommends that all children from birth to 1 year old be placed in rear-facing car seats in the back seat. Seventeen states have laws that prohibit placing children in forward facing seats until 1 year of age. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, New Hampshire is the only state in the country that does not place any regulations on adults wearing seat belts, but does require children to be in safety seats up to 6 years of age.
Forward Facing Seats
The NHTSA recommends that children over the age of 1 and weighing at least 20 pounds be placed in a forward facing seat in the back seat. Across the country, 17 out of the 50 states require children to be at least 1 year old before placing them in a forward facing seat.
Booster Seats
Age regulations vary from state to state for allowing children to move from a car seat to a booster seat. The NHTSA recommends children no younger than 4 years old transition to a booster seat. In some states, such as New York and Oregon, children are required to be in a booster seat until the age of 8 years old.
LATCH System
Since 2002, Federal law requires that all cars sold in the United States be equipped with a system called LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) that allows the installation of a child safety seat without the use of seat belts. This makes it easier and faster for parents to install child safety seats and more likely that seats will be installed correctly.
