The destination of your drive is a far second to the safety of your child. California parents work to ensure their young ones are as secure as possible when they travel. They can buy every safety device and practice cautious driving, but there are California laws regarding car seats that anyone with a child in their vehicle must follow.
These laws are designed to give children the maximum protection possible when traveling in California traffic.
Car Seat Laws for Child Passengers in California
To keep children as safe as possible, California vehicle codes are very specific when it comes to the age, height, and weight of the child and the car seat they should be traveling in.
The California Highway Patrol lists the requirements for minors on their website and also offers a helpful video.
- Children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds OR is 40 or more inches tall. The child shall be secured in a manner that complies with the height and weight limits specified by the manufacturer of the car seat. (California Vehicle Code Section 27360.)
- Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.
- Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 4’9” in height may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt. (California Vehicle Code Section 27363.)
- Passengers who are 16 years of age and over are subject to California’s Mandatory Seat Belt law.
Booster Seat Guidelines for California Children
California law doesn’t dictate when a child should move from a five-point harness to a booster seat. Parents must read over the safety guidelines of their forward-facing car seats for recommendations on when to graduate their children to a booster.
A child is ready for a booster seat when they have outgrown the weight or height limit of their forward-facing harnesses, which is typically between 40 and 65 pounds. Parents must be aware that booster seats don’t offer as much protection as child car seats and keeping the child in a forward-facing chair as long as possible is the safest option.
For the move to a seat belt, it’s key to remember that normal seat belts are designed for 165-pound male adults. They offer much less protection than a booster seat and their design can actually injure children in a collision.
Finding Support for Families After a California Accident
If you or a family member are injured in an accident, make sure the at-fault driver’s insurance company is held fully accountable.
Injuries to children, even relatively minor injuries, can lead to long, difficult recoveries. Children’s bodies are still maturing and an injury during certain stages may cause issues with growth and development. The costs of long-term care should never fall to victims and their families.
Talk to an experienced personal injury family lawyer about your case in a free consultation session before deciding on your next move.
