Kentucky State Child Restraint Laws
Kentucky, like most other states in the U.S., has special laws regarding restraints for children who are riding in motor vehicles. The restraints required depend on the size, weight and age of the child. Child restraint systems used in Kentucky must satisfy all federal motor vehicle safety standards. Police in Kentucky can stop motorists for violation of seatbelt and child restraint laws.
Other People Are Reading
-
Child Under 40 Inches
-
The smallest babies (from birth to 22 pounds) must ride in a rear-facing seat designed for their weight. As children get heavier, they must be restrained in rear-facing seats approved for higher weights. These seats must never be put in front of an air bag. The seat should be placed at a 45-degree angle or less, the carrying handle locked down, and a harness must snuggly hold the child just below shoulder level.
When the child is over a year old and weighs between 20 and 40 pounds, he can ride in a front-facing child seat. Both the car seat and the child seat must be in an upright position. Snuggly fitting harness straps must hold the child in position.
Child Between 40 and 50 Inches
-
Once a child has reached the age of 7 and is between 40 and 50 inches tall, she can ride in a forward-facing child booster seat. The purpose of a booster seat is to raise the child to a level where the seatbelt harness fits correctly. The shoulder belt should never go across the child's face or neck, and the lap belt should not ride up on her stomach because this would cause serious injury to her in the event of a crash. Her legs should also bend comfortably over the edge of the booster seat.
-
Children Over 50 Inches
-
Children over 50 inches in height can use regular seatbelts, but the seatbelts must be adjusted to fit the child properly. Seatbelts used for children in Kentucky must include both a lap belt and a shoulder harness. If the car is equipped with only a lap belt in the backseat, a shoulder harness must be added or the child cannot ride in the backseat.
-
References
- Photo Credit child in the car image by Natalia Pavlova from Fotolia.com
