State of Oregon Child Safety Seat Laws

Oregon childer under 40 pounds must be in child safety seats.

All children in Oregon who weigh less than 40 lbs. must be secured in child safety seats or face a $90 fine. Two "best practice" recommendations of the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, however, are not included in the Oregon laws. These are keeping children in rear-facing car seats for as long as the seat manufacturers recommend for the particular seats, or that children under 13 should ride in the back seat.

Infant Seats

Infants under 12 months and weighing less than 20 lbs. must be secured in seats that face the rear of the vehicle.

Booster Seats

Children weighing 40 lbs. or more but who under 4 feet, 9 inches tall must be secured in safety seats that elevate the child so that an adult seat belt fits properly

Regular Seat Belts

Oregon law says children may use regular seat belts (without any type of child safety seat), once they weigh more than 40 lbs. and exceed 4 feet 9 inches in height, or are 8 years old.

RV Restraints

Oregon considers RVs or motor homes to be passenger vehicles. So all child seat and adult seat belt laws apply to children riding in these types of vehicles when there are forward-facing seats in the vehicles. Oregon recommends that children be placed in forward-facing belted positions rather than side- or rear-facing positions in RVs or motor homes for greater safety.

References

• Oregon.gov: Safety Belt & Child Seat Laws
• Oregon State Legislature: Chapter 811 --- Rules of the Road for Drivers
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Child Restraint Laws