The safest place for a child under 12 stated by law is in the back seat. Make sure children are properly buckled in a car seat booster seat or seat belt whichever is appropriate for their weight height and age.
The Four Stages Of Car Seat Safety Car Seats For The Littles
Height and weight restrictions for car seats. For the best possible protection infants and toddlers should be buckled in a rear facing car seat in the back seat until they reach the maximum weight and height limits of their car seat. Car seat laws in iowa set specific standards for certain age groups with weight or height restrictions also considered within the law. According to the rules a child under the age of 8 who weighs between 40 and 80 pounds and is under 4 feet and 9 inches tall must have a booster seat when in the car. Use a rear facing car seat from birth until ages 24. The american academy of pediatrics aap recommends babies be in rear facing seats until age 2 or until they reach the car seats height or weight limit. Kids can next move to a belt positioning booster seat when they reach the weight and height harness strap limits of their forward facing car seat.
Keep in mind that many convertible car seats and combination car seats have forward facing weight limits of 65 to 80 pounds when used with harness straps. Once your child outgrows these given limits a regular seat belt can be used. Visit our main car seat safety page to get information about manufacturer height and weight restrictions guidelines from health and safety organizations and additional resources including a car seat check station locator and car seat safety app for your smartphone. Booster seat laws are incorporated into the general state laws for child passenger safety so your use of a car seat or a booster seat will generally be based upon your individual child. Thats usually 30 to 60 pounds 136 to. All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age.
Foward facing seats should be used until your child reaches the maximum harness weight limit which usually ranges between 40 and 90 pounds or until they reach the maximum height limit which is. Generally children between ages 5 and 9 with heights under 4 feet 9 inches and weighing less than 80 to 100 pounds are the appropriate age and size for a booster car seat advises the safe kids website 5 this is a verified and trusted source. Front facing car seats are designed for larger toddlers and often expand until a childs large enough for only a booster seat again dependent on the childs weight and height. Booster car seat weight and height restrictions vary according to manufacturer.