Florida car seat regulations ?

[SEC71]

I have friends who will be traveling to Florida with their 4 year old. They think they won't need a car seat, they said it is not required. They will be renting a car. I can't imagine that they'd car seat is not required by law at least a booster!

 

[tjmw2727]

They are correct about the law. FL only requires children 3 and under to be in a carseat, children 4 and over can be in a seatbelt or carseat.

A quick google search confirms this information.

Personally we always used a carseat especially when driving an unfamilair car in an unfamiliar place where a majority of others are also doing the same! But if your friends choose to skip the careseat they will not be breaking FL law.

 

[SEC71]

Wow, I would take a booster seat if it was me.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I can't imagine that they'd car seat is not required by law at least a booster!

It is not safe for a 4 year old to ride in a car using only a seatbelt. I can't imagine why these parents wouldn't bring a car seat or a booster seat, no matter what the law says.

 

[uksaint]

It is not safe for a 4 year old to ride in a car using only a seatbelt. I can't imagine why these parents wouldn't bring a car seat or a booster seat, no matter what the law says.

This ^^

If you have ever seen a child who has suffered friction burns to the neck from an improperly placed seatbelt - you would not care what the law is. Only question - Is the child tall enough - anything under 57" needs a seatbelt.

Take a booster, or if that is not possible - make Walmart the first stop and pick one up for $20.

 

[jelo]

My 8 yr old is 46" and just under the 80 requirement for a booster(she's 71)...but I still plan on hitting Walmart directly after the airport car pickup and buying one.

I'll just leave it there!

 

[Capt_BJ]

see Florida Statutes Section 316.613

316.613 Child restraint requirements.—

(1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

(b) The Division of Motor Vehicles shall provide notice of the requirement for child restraint devices, which notice shall accompany the delivery of each motor vehicle license tag.

(2) As used in this section, the term “motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle as defined in s. 316.003 that is operated on the roadways, streets, and highways of the state. The term does not include:

(a) A school bus as defined in s. 316.003(45).

(b) A bus used for the transportation of persons for compensation, other than a bus regularly used to transport children to or from school, as defined in s. 316.615(1)(b), or in conjunction with school activities.

(c) A farm tractor or implement of husbandry.

(d) A truck having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds.

(e) A motorcycle, moped, or bicycle.

(3) The failure to provide and use a child passenger restraint shall not be considered comparative negligence, nor shall such failure be admissible as evidence in the trial of any civil action with regard to negligence.

(4) It is the legislative intent that all state, county, and local law enforcement agencies, and safety councils, in recognition of the problems with child death and injury from unrestrained occupancy in motor vehicles, conduct a continuing safety and public awareness campaign as to the magnitude of the problem.

(5) Any person who violates the provisions of this section commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318 and shall have 3 points assessed against his or her driver's license as set forth in s. 322.27. In lieu of the penalty specified in s. 318.18 and the assessment of points, a person who violates the provisions of this section may elect, with the court's approval, to participate in a child restraint safety program approved by the chief judge of the circuit in which the violation occurs, and upon completing such program, the penalty specified in chapter 318 and associated costs may be waived at the court's discretion and the assessment of points shall be waived. The child restraint safety program must use a course approved by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the fee for the course must bear a reasonable relationship to the cost of providing the course.

 

[GirlOutlaw]

If there is a doubt if a child needs a booster even if the law doesn't require one just look at the placement of a cross chest seat belt. Is it pressed up against the neck? Is the lap belt pressed against the stomach? If so get a booster, it is always better safe then sorry.

A cross chest belt should rest on the shoulder and a lap belt flat on the lap (across the legs).

Most childern that have serious injuries in auto crashes (where a belt is in use) are due to improperly placed belts causing internal injuries/bleeding.

My DD is 6 (almost 7) (but small for her age) and we still have her in a booster. We take it on every trip no matter what.

It is always better to say "I am so glad we had _______". Then to say, "If only we had _______".
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This is Alaska State Law:
(1) less than one year of age or a child one year of age or older who weighs less than 20 pounds shall be properly secured in a rear-facing child safety that meets or exceeds [IS LESS THAN FOUR YEARS OF AGE, THE CHILD SHALL BE PROPERLY SECURED IN A CHILD SAFETY DEVICE MEETING THE] standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions;
(2) one or more years of age but less than five years of age who weighs 20 pounds or more shall be properly secured in a child restraint device that meets or exceeds the standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions;
(3) over four years of age but less than eight years of age who is less than 57 inches in height and weighs 20 or more pounds but less than 65 pounds shall be properly secured in a booster seat that is secured by a seat belt system or by another child passenger restraint system that meets or exceeds the standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions;
(4) over four years of age who exceeds the height or weight requirements in (3) of this subsection shall be properly secured in a seat belt;
(5) eight years of age [FOR A CHILD SAFETY DEVICE FOR INFANTS. IF THE CHILD IS FOUR] but less than [NOT YET] 16 years of age who does not exceed the height and weight requirements in (3) of this subsection [, THE CHILD] shall be properly secured in a child safety device approved for a child of that [AGE AND] size by the United States Department of Transportation or in a safety belt, whichever is appropriate for the particular child as determined solely by the driver.