California Booster Seat Law

Booster seats reduce the risk of injury in a crash.

The State of California mandates the use of age-appropriate child restraint systems. California's vehicle code implies that a booster seat will be employed at some stage of your child's development. Government entities across the state guide parents and guardians as to when a booster seat comes into play. As the city of Livermore, California, notes, booster seats reduce serious injury in car crashes by 75 percent versus using a seat belt by itself.

California's Child Restraint Law

All drivers in California must secure children in a child restraint system (meaning a car seat or booster seat) until the child is either 6 years of age or 60 pounds. Under no circumstances can a child ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle with an active passenger air bag if the child is under 1 year of age or less than 20 pounds or riding in a rear-facing restraint system.

Booster seats, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), are suitable for children once they reach about age 4 and 40 pounds. Transition to sole use of an adult seat belt should not occur until your child is at least 4-foot-9-inches tall, notes OTS. A booster seat, designed for use with a shoulder/lap belt, raises a child up so that seat belts fit him safely and securely.

Exceptions

Several exemptions apply to California's child restraint laws, including one pertaining to booster seats. The law states that children under 6 years old and less than 60 pounds may ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle with a restraint system if a restraint system cannot be properly installed in the back seat. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) points out that booster seats must operate in cooperation with a shoulder/lap belt. If the back seat of your vehicle only has lap belts, but the front seat has the shoulder/lap belt combination, you may use a booster seat in the front seat of your vehicle.

Penalties

California's child restraint laws receive the top rating of "good" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This is, in part, because of the stiff fines, relative to other states, they carry. A first offense brings a fine of $100. The state levies a $250 fine for the second and all subsequent offenses. These fines can be waived by the court if the defendant proves that he is economically disadvantaged. In such a case, the court sends the defendant to a community education program that provides instruction pertaining to child restraint systems.

Booster Seat Safety

The City of Livermore, California--located outside of San Francisco--explains that the law stops short of providing optimum protection. They argue that children who are 6 years old and less than 60 pounds are not ready to use an adult seat belt. The shoulder portion of the belt lies too close to the neck, while the lap belt sits too close to the abdomen, creating the potential for serious injury or death. They recommend keeping your child in a booster seat until she is 8 years old or 4-foot-9-inches tall.

Considerations

CHP addresses various scenarios at its website in regards to following California's child restraint laws. For instance, if you have three children--one is 11 years old and weighs 80 pounds, another is 4 years old and 50 pounds and the last child is 5 months old and 15 pounds--you might wonder how to prioritize where they sit. CHP advises placing the oldest child in the front seat with a shoulder/lap belt combo, the middle child in a booster seat with a shoulder/lap belt and the infant in a rear-facing car seat, which can be situated in the middle portion of the back seat.

References

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): California Laws and Regulations Summary
• California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): Vehicle Code, Child Passenger Restraints
• California Highway Patrol (CHP): Child Safety Seats, Frequently Asked Questions
• City of Livermore, California: Are You Booster Seat Ready?
• California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS): Child Passenger Safety (PDF)