{"id":1447,"date":"2020-10-23T19:41:07","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T19:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kreizerla.wpengine.com\/?p=1447"},"modified":"2021-07-16T07:31:34","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T07:31:34","slug":"car-seat-laws-nj-ny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kreizerlaw.com\/car-seat-laws-nj-ny\/","title":{"rendered":"What Parents Need to Know About Car Seat Laws in NJ & NY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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With people across the country beginning to return to work and school, commuter traffic is increasing substantially. Unfortunately\u2014but not<\/em> surprisingly\u2014traffic accidents are increasing right along with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are a brand-new parent, or you\u2019ve got three kids under the age of four, it\u2019s a good idea to perform regular checks on infant and toddler safety seats, as well as on your vehicle\u2019s seat belts. Even minor wear and tear on car seats and seat belts can have devastating consequences. Furthermore, proper car seat installation is essential to ensure your child\u2019s safety. And with car seat laws in New York and New Jersey being among the toughest in the nation, proper installation and use will also eliminate unnecessary fines and tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Child Safety Seats Save Lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death in children over the age of six months, truly making the safe installation of child safety seats a life or death situation. The proper use of \u201ccar seats is one of the simplest and most effective methods available for protecting the lives of our young children in the event of a motor vehicle crash.\u201d But according to the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)<\/a>, about one-third of all children under 13 killed in collisions in 2018 were not properly restrained in child safety seats or seat belts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents who have been using car seats for years frequently adopt a false sense of security, assuming that the gently used safety seat is perfectly safe and proper installation is obvious and easy. But with countless types and models of car seats on the market today, and with the constantly evolving laws and guidelines surrounding car seat use, it is virtually impossible to know if yours is installed correctly without having it professionally inspected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free Check Points and Clinics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, most NY and NJ towns have a go-to place to ensure correct installation and safety of infant car seats, toddler seats, and \u201cbooster” seats for older children who are still required to be in some type of child safety seat. Check for a fitting station in New York<\/a> or New Jersey<\/a> to ensure that your child\u2019s seat is safe and properly installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Parents Need to Know About Car Seat Laws in NJ & NY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to avoiding fines and tickets for improper car seat use, following the NJ and NY car seat laws dramatically reduces your children\u2019s risk of serious injury or death in a motor vehicle collision. To protect their most vulnerable citizens, New York and New Jersey have implemented strict guidelines for car seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All child safety seats must be certified under the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 213. If your seat is old, it is quite possible that it doesn\u2019t meet these stringent requirements. In New York and New Jersey, children must ride in an approved safety seat if they are age four and younger, and in an age-appropriate restraint system until the age of eight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Child Safety Seats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are basically four types of child safety seats on the market today. These are the infant car seat, which is rear-facing only; the convertible or combination seat, which transitions from a forward-facing seat to a booster seat; the booster seat for older children, which can have a back or be backless; and the all-in-one seat, which transitions from a rear-facing infant seat to a forward-facing seat, and finally to a booster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age and Size Specifications for Various Seat Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For infants weighing no more than 22 pounds, seats made specifically for infants must be used. Infant seats have five-point harness restraint systems and can only be used as rear-facing. Infants should only ever be placed in the back seat; airbag inflation could seriously harm or kill a small child in the front seat. Many children outgrow infant seats before their first birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until the age of two and at least 30 pounds, the child should remain in a rear-facing seat with a five-point harness system, but they may move from an infant seat to a \u201cconvertible\u201d seat, which also has a five-point harness. Once children meet height and weight requirements, their seat can be turned to face forward. But they should remain in the back seat until at least the age of 12, and for as long as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a child grows too large for the infant or convertible seat, they can move up to a booster seat. This transition shouldn\u2019t occur until the child is eight, however, unless he\/she is at least 57 inches and has reached the car seat\u2019s upper limits for weight. Fortunately for parents who have been buckling children into and out of infant and toddler seats for years, booster seats are typically a welcome change. They require minimal installation, are easier to move from one car to another, and are generally much simpler to use. Booster seats should be used by children until the age of eight, but smaller children may use these seats until the age of 12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to checking age requirements for booster seats, you should carefully consider your child\u2019s weight. While some seats can safely hold children up to 80 pounds, others may have a weight limit of 40 or 60 pounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Penalties for Car Seat Violations in New Jersey and New York<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is a common misconception that people don\u2019t actually get tickets for violating car seat laws, especially those pertaining to older children. But in the 12 months following New Jersey\u2019s new 2015 car seat legislation, a whopping 6,257 tickets<\/a> were issued for car seat and seat belt violations involving kids under the age of eight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n