Once the child has reached the weight limit of 65 pounds, he is ready to get booster seats. According to the California Highway Patrol: www.first5california.com/pdf/Booster_5-StepTest.pdf California law requires insurance companies to replace car seats after an accident, whether they have been occupied or not. It`s always a good idea to replace your car seats after a major accident, as car seats are only meant to handle a single accident. If the accident was minor, you can use the car seat again. If your child is under two years of age, they must be securely secured in a rear-facing car seat. However, there is an exception to this rule regarding infant car seats. If your child is two years of age or younger AND weighs 40 pounds or more, or is 40 inches or older, they are exempt from this requirement. It is a good law and all states should do the same. This is because children cannot support their heads in accidents and suffer serious injuries and deaths in cars every day that could have been avoided if they had been in a rear-facing car seat. Science and statistics show us that injuries are significantly reduced when children sit in rear-facing car seats until they are 24 months old.
The use of a booster seat is the next logical progression. Booster seats are usually designed for children aged 4 to 8 years, these seats use straps and straps designed to fit your child`s smaller frame and provide superior protection. Sometimes car seats are convertible into booster seats. These convertible car seats are sometimes called forever car seats because they last from early childhood until the child can drive without a car seat. Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are also subject to the law, although drivers don`t necessarily provide a car seat. Uber Car Seat and Uber Family are available in some cities, so a user can order a ride with a child seat, which is available for an additional fee. The Lyft directive states that drivers must provide their own car seats so that children can ride. As of 2017, all children under the age of 8 must sit in the back seat of a vehicle in a child restraint system. All children under the age of 2 must be in a rear-facing child restraint system unless the child is at least 40 inches tall or weighs 40 pounds. Few children reach this size at the age of 2, so for all intents and purposes, let`s say that all children under the age of 2 should sit in rear-facing seats. It may seem strange at first to have your child in a rear-facing car seat, but you and the child will quickly get used to it. All but today`s youngest parents probably remember that they tumbled unrestrainedly around their parents` vehicle as it rumbled down the street, free of seat belts or car seats (or car seat laws).
We may have been sitting in the back seat, but many of our parents didn`t hesitate to let us be driven to the front seat. Penalties for violating California`s child seat law are not severe — a $100 fine for the first offense and a $250 fine for the second offense. In any case, if a person “finds to the satisfaction of the court that he or she is economically disadvantaged,” the court may waive the fine in favour of a municipal education program for child seats. As an employed and careful parent, you`ll have something to worry about without worrying about the state`s complex and nuanced car seat laws. By law, children over the age of 8 and over 4 “9” can sit in the front seat, but it is recommended by experts to use booster seats until the age of 13. California law requires children under the age of two to drive in a rear-facing car seat. The law also requires children to stay in a booster seat or car seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall. Studies show that the use of booster seats significantly reduces the risk of injury in children aged 4 to 8 years compared to the use of seat belts alone. Learn more about booster seats here.
PRO TIP: There are currently no exceptions for children under 2 years of age, regardless of their height or weight. In California, any child under the age of two must be secured in the back seat of the vehicle. Under the current law, no child under the age of eight is allowed to sit in the front. This does not mean that you do not need a child seat. It simply means they don`t have to sit in a rear-facing car seat. In all cases, the car seat must be the right size for your child and meet all applicable federal safety standards. Some of these requirements may seem exaggerated, but they exist for good reason. Many of the safety features of motor vehicles built into today`s cars are designed for adult bodies and make it dangerous for children to travel in the front seat. For example, even with a sturdy child seat, a five- or six-year-old child who can use a forward-facing car seat could be seriously injured by an airbag if placed in the front seat. In the California Vehicle Code, car seat laws require that all children as passengers in a motor vehicle under two years of age be strapped into a “rear-facing” car seat in the rear seat of the vehicle. Unfortunately, these roads sometimes lead to injuries caused by car accidents, which is one of the leading causes of death and hospitalization among children under the age of 16.
If you are looking for help securing a child seat or booster seat, you can contact the California Highway Patrol. The CHP may refer someone to a passenger safety technician for children. In late 2016, the California Department of Public Health received a nearly $500,000 grant to train 450 new technicians and educate 2,000 existing technicians on best practices for the installation and use of child safety restraint systems. The Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat meets the height/length requirement of 40″ and supports children up to 49″ high. Buy it here on Amazon Prime: amzn.to/2DZl6HM. After 40 lbs, the seat supports children in a forward-facing position up to 65 lbs. This car seat offers your child the widest possible legroom. Car seat safety is a top priority and starts from the first time you return home from the hospital with your newborn.
In fact, hospitals require you to have a car seat installed in your vehicle before leaving the hospital with your child. In this guide, we`ll cover the latest methods to properly secure your child in a safety seat and California`s car seat laws that you need to follow to avoid costly penalties, tickets, and risk of injury (or worse). California car rental companies are required by law to provide access to a child restraint system if a person renting a car does not have one. This only applies if the child is 8 years old or younger. The Chicco Keyfit Baby Car Seat and Base with Car Seat is america`s #1 ranked car seat for toddlers, according to Consumer Reports. This car seat is amazing for toddlers, but at a maximum of 30 inches in height. It comes with inserts for newborns. You can now buy the Chicco Keyfit baby car seat on Amazon Prime here: amzn.to/2hlKihC. Ask everyone who owns that car seat if they like it, and they`ll say YES. It ships for less than $170 and grows with your child. Seat belts are designed to suit adults, not children. In the event of an accident, this incorrect fit can lead to serious injuries.
But if your child has exceeded the size of their forward-facing car seat, what`s next? Whether it`s running errands or dropping kids off at school, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. In fact, the majority of car accidents happen within a short mile of your home. When can my child sit in a booster seat in California? In California, a child is ready for a booster seat if they have exceeded the weight or size limit of their front belts. This usually happens at 65 pounds, but be sure to read the front-facing car seat owner`s manual to determine size and weight limits. People from San Diego and Los Angeles to Sacramento will be happy to know that the 2018 car seat laws are the same as in 2017. However, it is important to note that new laws came into force on January 1, 2017. And, of course, there are tens of thousands of new parents in California every year. If you are one of them, congratulations!! TIP: Did you know that local community authorities (police stations, fire stations, etc.) Do you have child safety technicians who can help you install and support car seats? If you get help with your car seat, be sure to contact a certified car seat technician. Your local California Highway Patrol (CHP) may be able to help. In any vehicle equipped with airbags, it is illegal to attach a rear-facing car seat to the passenger seat. However, there are a few exceptions. Similar to a rear-facing seat, a forward-facing car seat should always be placed in the rear seat and should use a five-point belt.
We understood how important it is to “buckle up” to protect yourself and others in the event of an accident.
