When it comes to choosing the right car seat for your child, a one-size-fits-all size does not fit all. There are three types of car seats: rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seats, each of which is best suited to protect a child based on age and size. Height and weight guidelines will be a better indicator than age, as children grow up at different rates. Keep your baby in a rear-facing car seat until he weighs at least 40 pounds and 40 inches, which will likely be closer to the age of four than the age of two. 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. Note that “appropriate” child restraint systems (including convertible car seats) are determined by state laws and federal safety standards for motor vehicles.2 Children may switch to a forward-facing car seat once they have exceeded the legal limits and manufacturer`s specifications for the rear-facing car seat. Keep in mind that children under the age of 2 are 500% safer in a rear-facing car seat than in a forward-facing car seat. 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. The car seat owner`s manual should include instructions on how to use car seats in conjunction with a vehicle`s seat belts, lap belts and shoulder belts. If they have any questions, people can contact the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or the local health department to speak to a child safety technician. If in doubt that the car seat is not installed correctly, you can have it inspected free of charge by a professional. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) offers this service. Car seat inspections are part of California`s California Restraint Safety Education and Training (CARSEAT) III campaign. 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.
The Golden State isn`t just miles of spectacular coastline. There are also nearly 400,000 miles of road. All are united by strict laws regarding the use of child seats. Wherever you are, compliance with these laws is mandatory, even if you only make a short trip to the neighborhood grocery store. If parents, guardians or other caregivers use a front seat restraint system, they must follow certain safety instructions for child occupants established by the system manufacturer. A car seat sits in a vehicle and withstands wear, temperature fluctuations, sunlight, and general degradation of materials over time. A small weakness may mean that it cannot withstand the effects of a collision. Your legs should also be long enough to lean over the seat at your knees. If there is an airbag in the passenger seat, it is never legal to have a rear-facing car seat on the front seat. The only exceptions where it is acceptable for a properly booked infant or child to fit in the front seat are: children from the age of two must continue to use a rear-facing seat until they weigh at least forty pounds.
California law requires all children under the age of two to drive in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 pounds or more OR is 40 inches or more. There is no rear seat in the vehicle, such as in a truck or two-seater. Did you know that car seats can empty? An expired car seat can put your child at serious risk, as it may not work as intended. If a driver violates any of California`s child restraint laws, they will receive a ticket and will have to pay a corresponding fine. Once your child is out of the forward-facing car seat, a booster seat is the next step. Booster seats are primarily intended for children aged 4 to 8 years to ensure that seat belts are properly placed on their knees and chest. The law encourages the use of restraint systems on the rear seat of a vehicle, as airbag systems on the front seat of a vehicle pose a risk to the safety of children. Most manufacturers say that children can switch from a forward-facing seat if they weigh 65 pounds or more. California`s basic car seat law is set out in vehicle code 27360 VC. This law stipulates that all children aged eight years and under must drive in the back seat of a motor vehicle in an appropriate child restraint system.
Depending on the age, height and weight of the child, this restraint system can be a rear-facing seat, a forward-facing seat or a booster seat. Under California law, children must sit in the back seat of a vehicle in an appropriate car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4`9″ tall. Children should stay in a rear-facing car seat until they weigh 40 pounds or more or are at least 40 inches tall. Since then, seat belt and child seat laws have been passed in every state, and the benefits of holding a child in a car seat or booster seat are widely accepted. California`s Child Seat Belt and Passenger Restraints Act was updated on January 1, 2017 to protect children in the event of a car accident. Parents need to be aware of the key points of this law to ensure they follow legal guidelines for the safety of their children – even if they crave days of hot metal playground slides and bicycle without a helmet. Note that sometimes a driver violates a car seat law and then injures another party, either a child or another person. In these cases, the victim of the injury may use the injury to determine negligence. Negligent drivers must compensate injured victims for their own: When children are no longer required by law to drive in a restraint system, California`s seat belt law requires all occupants of a moving motor vehicle who are eight years of age or older to wear a seat belt.6 A driver who does not comply with one of California`s car seat laws may cause a car accident. In addition, this accident could cause injury to either a child or another party.
If a person subsequently sues the driver for bodily injury (for such injuries), the driver may be found to be “negligent”. A child is ready for a booster seat when they have exceeded the weight or size limit of their forward-facing belts. This usually happens around 65 pounds. The use of seat belts for children and adults is crucial for the safety of children, the safety of children and the safety of adult drivers. For example, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of seat belts in passenger cars saved about 14,955 lives in 2017.8 The expiration date and/or date of manufacture can usually be found with the serial number printed somewhere on the car seat. You can also find it in the user manual. Don`t see an expiration date in your car seat? If there is no expiration date, never use a car seat that is more than six years older than the manufacturer`s date. California law imposes two basic laws on child car seats.
These are: California is one of those states where it`s really hot and it`s illegal to leave kids in cars. California Vehicle Code Section 15620 states that no parent or guardian may leave a child under the age of 6 in a car. By law, they must be with someone who is at least 12 years old. Violating this law can get you in trouble and fine you at least $100. Parents must secure their children in a baby seat so that they follow the instructions of the car seat manufacturer. However, safety standards recommend keeping children in the back seat, as there are risks associated with front airbags. 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.