California Booster/child seat laws.

[island_poohbear]

OMG I never thought about the laws in CA. Here is AZ my ds(6) hasn't been in a booster since he was about 4. He is tall for his age and he doesn't fit right in the booster chair. It is actually safer for him to be in a regular seatbelt. But if the CHP is taking the law the other way with the child having to be at least 6 and 60lbs, then I better dust off the old booster seat and get him use to sitting in it again, he will not be happy he thinks its for babys.

 

[HarryMoose]

This is just another reason (one I hadn't considered) for not renting a car for your DL trip. Use the shuttles. If you've got to go somewhere different, take a cab.

The thing is, if your reason for using a booster is purely for safety and not laws, using a taxi or shuttle isn't really any safer is it??? I know when I was in NYC last month, those taxi drivers drove in a manner that my DH or myself never would!


If you want it for safety bring it regardless of age or size. If you child is 6 or over 60lbs, you are not breaking any laws if you aren't using it. If you are in a car that the parents are not driving (such as taxi) it is also not required. Parental choice.

 

[HarryMoose]

OMG I never thought about the laws in CA. Here is AZ my ds(6) hasn't been in a booster since he was about 4. He is tall for his age and he doesn't fit right in the booster chair. It is actually safer for him to be in a regular seatbelt. But if the CHP is taking the law the other way with the child having to be at least 6 and 60lbs, then I better dust off the old booster seat and get him use to sitting in it again, he will not be happy he thinks its for babys.

If you don't use it at home, don't bother. If he is too tall for the booster, then it isn't the safest option anyway. The recommended height is 4"9'. Does he reach that. He is 6 right? Then the law does not require it (as posted many times on this thread.)

A CHP officer is not going to be able to see if the child is in a booster by driving by. The other situation was talking about seat belts, not booster seats. Very different situation. Driving with out a seat belt is breaking the law.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I meant to reply to this yesterday....

I don't care what a state's laws are, I go by my "law" ~ seat belts are made for adults, until a child is the size of a small adult *my 11 year old almost is - no 6 year old I've seen is* a seat belt alone isn't enough, in fact it can be quite dangerous *always better than being unbuckled for sure though* a backless booster is easy to carry or pack away.....

 

[DisneyMomma81]

OMG I never thought about the laws in CA. Here is AZ my ds(6) hasn't been in a booster since he was about 4. He is tall for his age and he doesn't fit right in the booster chair. It is actually safer for him to be in a regular seatbelt. But if the CHP is taking the law the other way with the child having to be at least 6 and 60lbs, then I better dust off the old booster seat and get him use to sitting in it again, he will not be happy he thinks its for babys.

What?? That can't be *too tall* - heck no, my certainly not short 11 year old still rides in a backless booster most of the time. You're the parent, it does not matter what he thinks, noone will see that he's in a backless booster - he'll be able to see outside better.

 

[island_poohbear]

 

[stubby]

Yep, its true! Don't forget...state laws are always behind. It takes many deaths before anything gets changed. And doctors are seeing more and more injuries and deaths associated with kids not being secured properly, and for long enough. They spoke out about recently.

Well good luck to our laws ever catching up here. We live in a state where idiots can still ride in the back of a truck-see parents pick their kids up like this all the time from school. Couldn't believe it when I was told it was LEGAL.

 

[JennsBabySky]

You can use the boosters on the plane so they wont count toward the luggage allowance.

Actually, this is not true. Unless something has changed in the last year, this was the rule the last time I researched it. A booster can only be used with a shoulder belt, since airplanes have lap belts, you can't use a booster. However, if you have a convertible seat with an internal harness, you can use it in carseat mode. It cannot be used as a booster. Not all Flight Attendents are familiar with the difference, but it isn't safe to use a booster with a lapbelt.

I'm in the Los Angeles area and I haven't encountered anyone getting tickets yet because of the 6 AND 60 pounds, just for the kids not being 6.

And I believe that the booster / carseat requirement also pertains to taxis in California (not buses though). But I'm not positive.

Good luck,
Jennifer

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I live in CA & have 4 kids, aged 7 & younger.

Here are the current carseat/seatbelt laws to my understanding.

Babies need to be in rear facing carseats until age 1 AND 20lbs

Age 1 (& 20lbs) - Age 4 (OR 40lbs) - forward facing 5 pt harness carseat (although rear facing is ALWAYS an option with a 5pt harness).

Age 4 (OR 40lbs) - Age 6 (OR 60lbs) - booster (either high back or backless are ok).

However, all that said, the new AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommendation are rear facing in 5pt harness until age 2 & booster use until age 8 OR 80lbs. These are based on safety & not law (yet).

My 3 month old is in a rear facing infant carrier. My 2.5 year old is in a forward facing 5 pt harness & my older girls (age 5 & 7) are both in backless boosters.

Also, boosters are NOT FAA approved for use on airplanes. However if you buy a carseat bag (Toys R' Us, Target etc sell them) you can gate check them, which is what we do for our older girls. You could check them with your regular luggage - as a child/baby item, they should NOT count towards your luggage allotment. I personally would choose not to do this because if it gets put under a large suitcase, box, slammed coming down the luggage carousel, it could damage the integrity of the the plastic in the seat.

HTH

 

[M&C]

My DD is 8 and just at 60 lbs, so I keep her in a booster seat. From what I understand:

- if they're under 6 years old and heavier than 60 lbs, they need a booster.
- if they're more than 6 years and less than 60 lbs, they need a booster.

If you do not want to bring a booster, you can always rent one with your car rental.

 

[pinktink83]

You still need car seats, etc for taxis.

 

[M&C]

You still need car seats, etc for taxis.

Not in CA. Public transportation, including taxis not required to have booster/car seats. I know because it freaked me out when my daughter was 2.

 

[GrandBob]

My DD is 8 and just at 60 lbs, so I keep her in a booster seat. From what I understand:

- if they're under 6 years old and heavier than 60 lbs, they need a booster.
- if they're more than 6 years and less than 60 lbs, they need a booster.

If you do not want to bring a booster, you can always rent one with your car rental.

I give up

I've posted the official DMV web site, which quotes actual California law. And I posted again, pointing that out. One last try --

Under California law, the child is OK without a booster seat if s/he is at least 6 years old OR 60 pounds.

I give up now.

 

[wendylady36]

Safety first, always! If there's even a doubt in your mind, bring a booster! Your child's safety is more important than saving money.

 

[HarryMoose]

I give up

I've posted the official DMV web site, which quotes actual California law. And I posted again, pointing that out. One last try --

Under California law, the child is OK without a booster seat if s/he is at least 6 years old OR 60 pounds.

I give up now.

I hear you bob. The question was the law. You provided the right answer. Not peoples options if their kid (or yours and mine) needs one.

Thanks for the answer. Not sure about the OP, but I wanted also to know and now I do.

 

[Dostert9]

Can't you just bring a booster on as one of your carry ons and store it in the above compartment?

 

[starshine514]

OMG I never thought about the laws in CA. Here is AZ my ds(6) hasn't been in a booster since he was about 4. He is tall for his age and he doesn't fit right in the booster chair. It is actually safer for him to be in a regular seatbelt. But if the CHP is taking the law the other way with the child having to be at least 6 and 60lbs, then I better dust off the old booster seat and get him use to sitting in it again, he will not be happy he thinks its for babys.

If you took let him stop using the booster when he was 4, you broke Arizona law: http://www.azgohs.gov/transportation-safety/default.asp?ID=15 (yeah, I live here too, so I've researched this). If you're sure that he is safe without it (every car is designed differently, and I have seen some middle seats with a lower starting point for those shoulder harnesses - which may be the type of vehicle you have) and if you're concerned about the California law, I would do what others have suggested and print it out the law to have with you if you're stopped.

My 45" 6-yr-old still uses a 5-pt-harness seat especially designed for older kids or a booster (depending on whose car she is in). She has only gone without a booster or car seat 3 times, and each of those was because she was sitting in the middle seat of a car with no shoulder belt for that position.

 

[ThreeBeans]

CPST here!


There is a lot of very scary and dangerous misinformation presented on this thread.


1. It doesn't matter what the California law is. If you do what is actually safe for your child, you will exceed the requirements of the law in all 50 states.

2. NO SIX YEAR OLD CHILD SHOULD RIDE WITHOUT A BOOSTER SEAT, END OF STORY.

3. No child under 4'9" should ride without a booster seat.

4. Island-poohbear, if you took your 4 year old out of a booster, you actively put his life at risk. A four year old fits just fine in a booster seat. If your child is under 4'9", he needs to be BACK in the booster seat.

5. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use correct child restraints for your child's height and age, including in taxis and limousines.

PER NHTSA RECOMMENDATIONS THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS

Birth-twelve months: REAR FACING ONLY

Twelve months until the fourth birthday: REAR FACING UNTIL THEY OUTGROW THE SEAT. THIS MEANS AT LEAST TWO YEARS, BARE MINIMUM.

A child who is older than two and has outgrown the height and weight restrictions for rear facing may be placed in a forward facing harnessed restraint

Four years through the 8th birthday: FORWARD FACING FIVE POINT HARNESS until the child outgrows it, then a booster.

8 YEARS-TWELVE YEARS: Booster until 4'9". If your 11 year old is 4'7", he needs a booster. End of discussion. Then a lap-shoulder seatbelt.



To answer the original question: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SIX YEAR OLD WHO DOESN'T NEED A BOOSTER ;-)

 

[jenpace]

CPST here!


There is a lot of very scary and dangerous misinformation presented on this thread.


1. It doesn't matter what the California law is. If you do what is actually safe for your child, you will exceed the requirements of the law in all 50 states.

2. NO SIX YEAR OLD CHILD SHOULD RIDE WITHOUT A BOOSTER SEAT, END OF STORY.

3. No child under 4'9" should ride without a booster seat.

4. Island-poohbear, if you took your 4 year old out of a booster, you actively put his life at risk. A four year old fits just fine in a booster seat. If your child is under 4'9", he needs to be BACK in the booster seat.

5. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use correct child restraints for your child's height and age, including in taxis and limousines.

PER NHTSA RECOMMENDATIONS THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS

Birth-twelve months: REAR FACING ONLY

Twelve months until the fourth birthday: REAR FACING UNTIL THEY OUTGROW THE SEAT. THIS MEANS AT LEAST TWO YEARS, BARE MINIMUM.

A child who is older than two and has outgrown the height and weight restrictions for rear facing may be placed in a forward facing harnessed restraint

Four years through the 8th birthday: FORWARD FACING FIVE POINT HARNESS until the child outgrows it, then a booster.

8 YEARS-TWELVE YEARS: Booster until 4'9". If your 11 year old is 4'7", he needs a booster. End of discussion. Then a lap-shoulder seatbelt.



To answer the original question: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SIX YEAR OLD WHO DOESN'T NEED A BOOSTER ;-)

Thank you ThreeBeans for posting this important information!

True, the OP was only asking about the CA state legal requirement but keeping our kids as safe as possible sometimes means going above and beyond the bare minimum required by law. Just because a child isn't *legally required* to sit in the proper booster or carseat any longer doesn't mean that his or her life wouldn't be saved by taking the extra precaution of following the valuable guidelines ThreeBeans posted.

 

[lori123]

Ok - my 11 year old DD is only 56lbs!!!