Car seat laws in the US?

[earn]

We are doing some pre-cruise touring in California and Las Vegas, and wondered if anyone could help us with car seat laws in these states. Our children are 10 and 8 and both use booster seats in the UK. The oldest doesn't need it here in the Uk, but prefer it. We will bring one for the 8yr old, but not sure if we need to for the 10 year old.

 

Thanks for your help.

[crusinmama06]

I live in PA, where we basically have some of the toughest car eat laws in the US. My daughter was able to get out of her booster at 8. The one recommendation says 54" tall...so she still uses her booster in the car.

 

I will look up CA law, but I am betting the 10 year old won't need one.

 

And some states here in the US don't even require one for 3 year olds. :eek:

 

Edited to say, found California's....

 

Basic statement about the child restraint law:

 

Children must ride properly buckled up, in the back seat, in a safety seat or booster until they are at

least 6 years old OR weigh at least 60 lbs.

 

Main exceptions:

 

A child under age 6 who weighs over 40 lbs. may wear a lap-only belt in the back seat if the

vehicle has no shoulder belts in the back seat.

 

A child under age 6 who weighs less than 60 lbs. may ride in the front seat if there is no forwardfacing

rear seat in the vehicle; the child restraint cannot be properly installed in a rear seat; all rear

seats are occupied by other children under age 12; or for medical reasons. An infant (riding in a

rear-facing child restraint or under one year or less than 20 lbs.) may not ride in front if there is an

active passenger air bag.

[crusinmama06]

And I just found Nevada's (for your trip through Las Vegas)

 

Nevada state law requires that children under age 6 and 60 pounds ride in a federally approved car seat or booster seat that is appropriate for the child's age and weight. The car seat or booster must be installed and used according to manufacturer's instructions. All other passengers and drivers must wear a seat belt.

[earn]

Michele,

 

Thank you for going to so much trouble to find this out for me.

 

I think the above implies that anyone over 6 is Ok without a carseat no matter their weight, but might err on side of caution and check the boys are over 60lb. I am certain the 8 yr old insn't.

 

The laws in UK seem much more stict and the age limit is 12 unless the child is over 135cm. My 10 yesar old has only just reached that height!

[imjoyful2]

Being an EMT and having seen some awful sights involving kids, I always suggest to others to go by the WEIGHT not the age (so here in Pa 80lbs). I've seen kids that meet the age requirement but are small and get ejected because they slide out of a regular seatbelt. :( After having a child die in my arms from something so easily preventable (his sister in a booster walked away fine) I am a little anal about the booster seat law. :)My own kids are extremely tiny and will most likely be in booster seats until they hit their teens. Earn, I'm glad to hear the UK is strict about that! Have fun on your vacation!!

[crusinmama06]

Being an EMT and having seen some awful sights involving kids, I always suggest to others to go by the WEIGHT not the age (so here in Pa 80lbs). I've seen kids that meet the age requirement but are small and get ejected because they slide out of a regular seatbelt. :( After having a child die in my arms from something so easily preventable (his sister in a booster walked away fine) I am a little anal about the booster seat law. :)My own kids are extremely tiny and will most likely be in booster seats until they hit their teens. Earn, I'm glad to hear the UK is strict about that! Have fun on your vacation!!

 

:(:(:( VERY good advice.

[QTMichele]

Just wanted to add that it's refreshing to see booster seat usage past preschool! My 9 year old DD recently stopped using hers.

[crusinmama06]

Can I just add that I want to applaud you for asking this question for a 10 year old. :D

 

Someone just asked it about a 6 month old. :(

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=18255191&posted=1#post18255191

[imjoyful2]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a downer, but after the things I've seen volunteering on the ambulance, if I can save just one life be being anal about this stuff, then it's worth it. My oldest are 9yr old twins, weighing in at 39 &49lbs, so ya better believe they will be in booster until 80lbs (which I don't think I hit until high school myself! :eek: ) The stuff I've witnessed is ingrained in me forever and I'd hate to see anyone suffer needlessly over something that could be so easily prevented!

 

I should add I DO know there are times when traveling or doing tours that it's virtually impossible to adhere to this. I am mainly referring to everyday driving when you are at home. Some things while on vacation in foreign countries you just can't get around. :rolleyes:

[sunandseagirl617]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a downer, but after the things I've seen volunteering on the ambulance, if I can save just one life be being anal about this stuff, then it's worth it. My oldest are 9yr old twins, weighing in at 39 &49lbs, so ya better believe they will be in booster until 80lbs (which I don't think I hit until high school myself! :eek: ) The stuff I've witnessed is ingrained in me forever and I'd hate to see anyone suffer needlessly over something that could be so easily prevented!

 

I should add I DO know there are times when traveling or doing tours that it's virtually impossible to adhere to this. I am mainly referring to everyday driving when you are at home. Some things while on vacation in foreign countries you just can't get around. :rolleyes:

I know some of the laws vary from state to state and it has to be about safety always.......!!

 

In Florida they have some the strangest car seat laws, (they change every year!!!!!!!:eek:) however, my DD is still in a booster at 9 years old, she is barely 50 pounds! I just feel like Michele said the laws of physics are the same, no matter where you are travelling to..........;) Thank you for sharing your experience!

[crusinmama06]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a downer, but after the things I've seen volunteering on the ambulance, if I can save just one life be being anal about this stuff, then it's worth it.

 

You weren't a downer, you were being honest. :)

 

My career background is in broadcast television news. We arrived on the scene of wayyy too many accidents. Those images do burn into your brain, no matter how many times you see it. :(

 

It's the reason I sit as far back from my steering wheel as humanly possible. I saw too many steering wheels bent around bodies. :( Ick

[QTMichele]

Jenn - it's good advice. Thanks for sharing. :)

 

BTW, my 9 year old is 85 pounds!!! She's NOT overweight - just tall and muscular. My 5 year old DD is still in a booster and probably will be for a few years longer than she'd like. She's not growing like her sister did. ;)

[earn]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I think we will bring seats for both of the boys. Although my eldest is 10 he is a lean and mean swim club guy and weighs less than 70 lbs. He actually feels more comfortable on the seat as he is higher up and can see. At home we have full seats, with adjustable backs, and sides that your head can rest against if you fall asleep. The backs come off and leave the booster, and it was that that we were planning to bring. Is that OK? It is no trouble to bring the other part, and would be good when we are travelling around, but we are all in an inside cabin on the boat, and I have feeling the full seats would take up half the space!!

[Citizen Jane]

My daughter is 6 and still in a Britax Marathon, so I am definitely on the side of protection.:D

 

One thing I think has been happening in recent years is that there is less peer pressure that carseats or boosters are "babyish" and I hope that continues. :)

 

I wish they'd had the boosters when I was a kid, I wouldn't have been tempted to move all over the car just so I could see out the windows.:cool:

 

Like imjoyful2 I didn't hit 80 pounds until highschool either (now I'd like to drop 80 pounds or so...:eek:).

 

Thanks also for sharing the UK rules...good to know for the next time we travel there!:)

[Rudi610]

Don't just take into account the weight of a kid, but also their height. Most back seat seatbelts are designed for adults. A child not tall enough, could be choked by the shoulder belt in the event of an accident. This is another area where booster seats help. They "lift" the child up so that the shoulder belt fits them right, or they adjust the angle of the belt to prevent it from crossing the child's neck. I fight with my 8 year old all the time over this (her older sister was out of a booster seat at 8), but she is smaller than her sister was at that age. Better safe than sorry, I say.

[JSQ01]

I have also found that you have to make sure the seatbelt is positioned correctly depending on the type of seat you are using. My kids use boosters, and the seat belt position for the backless is different than for my convertible five point. Just thought I'd throw that out there too!

[s318830]

Just to add to this thread so that future posters can find this info too... when travelling, a backless booster is easier to carry and transport than a full car seat, but you shouldn't switch to a booster until the child is 4 yrs old and at least 40 lbs.