Car seats play a vital role in preventing injuries to children in New York and across the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children.
Properly installed and used car seats can significantly reduce the risk of injury or death in these accidents.
In New York State, children must use appropriate child safety or booster seats until they reach a specific age, weight, or height.
All drivers must adhere to the car seat laws in New York to prevent injuries to their passengers.
What Are the Car Seat Laws in New York State
In New York, adhering to the state’s car seat laws and using the appropriate car seat or booster seat for a child’s age, weight, and height is a legal requirement and a crucial step in ensuring their safety during every car journey.
Proper car seat use can save lives and protect children from severe injuries, making it an indispensable safety measure for parents and caregivers.
Child Car Seat Laws in New York
In New York State, children must use appropriate child safety or booster seats until they reach a specific age, weight, or height.
Infants
In New York State, children must use an appropriate child restraint system in a vehicle until they are 8 years old. As of November 1, 2019, children under 2 years old are required to ride in a rear-facing car seat.
Toddlers and Young Children
Children between the ages of two and four must ride in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. It is essential to choose a seat that is appropriate for their height and weight.
Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their forward-facing car seat but are still too small for the adult seat belt should use a booster seat.
This requirement continues until they are at least eight years old and meet the height and weight criteria for safe use of an adult seat belt.
Seat Belt
Once a child reaches the age of 8 or exceeds the height and weight requirements for a booster seat, they must use a seat belt. However, it is recommended that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat whenever possible.
When children use booster seats, there is a significant reduction in the risk of injury in a car accident.
Booster seats help distribute the force of a crash more evenly across a child’s stronger bones, such as the hips and shoulders, reducing the risk of severe injuries to the neck, spine, and internal organs.
Accordingly, drivers must adhere to New York’s booster seat requirements.
Has Your Child Been Injured in a NY Car Accident?
You may be entitled to financial compensation to cover the costs of your child’s injuries if they were recently injured in a motor vehicle collision in New York, regardless of whether they were in a car seat.
At the Law Offices of Theodore A. Naima, our New York personal injury lawyer has over 25 years of experience aggressively pursuing damages awards for accident victims and their loved ones.
Call the Law Offices of Theodore A. Naima to learn more and to schedule a free consultation today. You can also connect with us through our online contact form.
Theodore A. Naima
Theodore A. Naima is the founding partner of the Law Offices of Theodore A. Naima, a Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice Law Firm based in New York. In 2015, Ted was awarded the prestigious AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the company that has long been recognized as setting the gold standard for lawyer ratings, signifying the highest degree of peer recognition and professional excellence.
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