During the last legislative session the state statute governing child passenger safety was modified and the new provisions go into effect Aug. 1, 2024.

Crashes are a leading cause of injury and death among children. Proper car seat use helps protect and minimize injuries to the youngest passengers. 

Prior to the changes, state law required car seats to be used according to manufacturer's instructions on height and weight. Now, instead of just relying on the child's size, the law specifies ages for rear- and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts (subject to weight and height depending on the child seat manufacturer).

Here are the new laws:

Birth to at least 2 years old:

• Rear-facing in an infant or convertible child safety seat.

At least 2 years old AND has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight:

• Forward-facing with an internal harness.

Four years old AND has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height and weight:

• Ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.

Nine years old or has outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly:

• Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat.

Additionally, children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.

If a child falls into more than one category, then the child must be placed in the safer restraint for them. For example, a child who is 2.5 years old and weighs 35 pounds but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds must stay rear-facing even though they are over 2 years old. It's very important for parents and caregivers to always read their car seat and vehicle owner's manual for proper installation.