Child Car Seat Laws in Florida
The state of Florida requires parents to secure children while riding in a vehicle in addition to the seat belt laws in the state. Keeping a child secured in a car seat prevents children from being thrown from a vehicle in an accident and restrains the child from moving around in the vehicle while it is in motion. Parents must be aware of the laws for restraining a child in a federally approved car seat.
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Infants
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Infants less than 20 pounds and under a year old must sit in a rear-facing car seat. When placing the child in the federally approved car seat, parents should make sure that the child is sitting upright in the seat. Children of all ages should not be placed in the front seat of a vehicle that has airbags.
Ages Up to and Including 3
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Children up to 3 years old must sit in a federally approved car seat. Parents are responsible for buckling the children into the seat properly. Safety seats that are part of the vehicle are also acceptable for children under age 3. They may face the front as long as they are more than 20 pounds.
Ages 4 through 5
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Between the ages of 4 and 5, children may be placed in a car seat or use car safety belts. Booster seats help to position the child at the correct height to use a seat belt. Children between 40 and 80 pounds and under 4 feet 9 inches should use a booster seat.
The penalty for failing to properly restrain a child in a car seat is a fine. Parents or drivers will also add points to their driving record for failing to use the correct restraint methods for children in the vehicle.
Adults are also required to wear a seat belt in the state of Florida.
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References
- Photo Credit child in the car image by Natalia Pavlova from Fotolia.com
