New Texas car seat safety law clearly defined, hefty fine possible if ignored - KEYE TV CBS Austin

Make no mistake, the car seat safety laws in Texas are clearly defined to ensure that a child is safe when traveling in the Lone Star State.

The laws state that all safety and booster seats must be used according to the manufacturer's instructions, which means the guardians must adhere to the height, weight and age restrictions on the seat they plan to use with their child.

The Texas Department of Transportation states that “motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children.” According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, child safety seats reduce the risk of injury by 71% to 82%.

Texas law requires that all children younger than eight years old, unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches, be secured in a child safety seat whenever they ride in a vehicle. Older children who have outgrown a booster seat must be buckled with a seat belt.

Failure to properly restrain a child can result in a ticket of up to $250.

Other car seat safety guidelines are:

• Children must be secured in the appropriate car or booster seat.
• Birth to two years old: All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 years old, or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their safety seat's manufacturer.
• Over two years old: Any child two or older who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for a car seat, should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat's manufacturer. This also applies to any child younger than two years who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat.
• Ages four to eight years old: Children whose weight or height exceeds the limit for a forward-facing car seat should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat. These children should remain in a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between eight and 12 years of age.

TxDOT’s free safety seat inspections are available throughout the year. CLICK HERE to find the nearest location.

source: https://cbsaustin.com/newsletter-daily/texas-car-seat-laws-are-clearly-defined-hefty-fine-possible-if-ignored-accident-fatality-car-crash-highways-safety

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