73% of child car crash deaths in 2020 (our last recorded data) were in passenger vehicles. While child deaths from car accidents have decreased over the years, there’s still a serious risk. Children who aren’t properly secured are more likely to be injured or killed in a serious crash. This is why car and booster seat laws exist in California (and in the United States as a whole). We’re here to talk about California’s appropriate car seat age, when your child can graduate to a booster seat, and more. Keep reading for more information.
Current Car Seat Laws in California
Car seats are the first type of seats a child will ride in. This is the seat your child comes home from the hospital in, and they will stay in some form of car seat for the next few years of their life. While children are still in traditional car seats, they’ll swap between rear-facing and front-facing (though some parents prefer to keep children rear-facing for longer than the recommended time, sometimes even until a child is ready to be in a booster seat.
Here’s a brief overview of rear-facing and front-facing car seats.
Rear-Facing Car Seats
Many parents are unaware of this, but children need to be in rear-facing car seats until they’re two years old (or until they weigh 40 pounds or are 40 inches tall). If your child is smaller than average and still hasn’t reached those size milestones by age two, it’s best if you keep them in a rear-facing car seat for their own safety. Young children and infants are 75% less likely to suffer serious injuries (or even death) after a car crash if they’re in rear-facing car seats. Too many parents think that if a child is large enough for a convertible car seat, they no longer need to be rear-facing. This isn’t the case. While infant car seats should always be rear-facing, convertible ones should remain rear-facing until the child reaches the appropriate size to turn it around.
Forward-Facing Car Seats
Children who have met the size limit in forward-facing car seats can be in convertible car seats, 3-in-1 car seats, or combination car seats. Make sure these car seats are up to current safety standards. It’s tempting to buy car seats secondhand, but you should always check the brand and model before driving with the seat in your car. Some seats have been recalled or are no longer up to modern safety standards. The car seat must have an internal harness. A 5-point harness is the best choice. The child should remain in this car seat until they’re four years old, though this will, again, vary depending on the child’s size. The 5-point harness may no longer protect the child to this point if they’re beyond a standard size.
Current Booster Seat Laws in California
When a child is too large for a traditional car seat, they should move to a booster seat. Again, many parents don’t realize how long children should remain in booster seats. Children should remain in booster seats until they’re eight years old. The only exception to this is if they’re over 4’9″. At that point, they should be large enough to be safely protected by your car’s seatbelt. Some children are not large enough to be secured by a seatbelt until they are 12. While they may be annoyed about being in a booster seat, it’s still in their best interest. Some experts even suggest that children stay in booster seats well into pre-teen years regardless of their size (within reason).
What Happens When Children No Longer Need Booster Seats?
When your child has met the size requirement to graduate from their booster seat, they can sit in a standard seat (and they must wear seatbelts). Small children should sit in the back seat. A child wearing a seatbelt is safest in the back seat as airbags won’t injure them in an accident. Adults are large enough that airbag injuries are usually less severe. However, there is no legal requirement regarding when a child can sit in the front seat as long as they’re old enough and large enough to no longer be in the booster seat.
Professional Car Seat Checks and Installation
If you have a child or a child on the way, you may be worried about whether or not you know enough about proper car seat placement to correctly use your child’s car seat. Many places will check and install car seats for worried parents free of charge. Parents in need may even be able to get accessible car seats from organizations such as Safe Kids Worldwide (which has California locations and will also do car seat inspections).
What About Taxis and Rideshares?
Note that when it comes to car seats, laws in California also apply to taxis and rideshares. Getting a car seat or booster seat into a new car can be troublesome, but it’s your responsibility to keep your child safe. If your child is small enough, we recommend strapping the child into the seat first so securing them in the vehicle takes less time.
Keep Your Child Safe By Following Car and Booster Seat Laws in California
California’s car and booster seat laws may seem excessive, but they’re based on science. If you want your child to be as safe as possible while driving, ensure you’re following all car and booster seat regulations. Are you in need of a professional personal injury attorney to help you after a car crash? We can help. At The Soliman Firm, our team is ready to help you navigate the complicated legal system. Contact us so we can start helping today.