Are Your Kids in the Right Seats for Their Age?
Car accidents are a leading cause of severe and fatal injuries for children. One way to reduce the risk of injury is to make sure your child is buckled up at all times.
But which car seat do you get? Does your child need a booster? What about riding in the front seat – are kids allowed to do that? We want you to have the right information so you can make informed decisions and keep your kids safe.
New Jersey’s laws for car seats and child safety restraints
New Jersey has strict laws when it comes to what seat your child should be in. All passengers in a vehicle must be restrained in some way, but how they’re restrained depends on their height and weight. According to the Department of Law & Public Safety, parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that their children are in the proper seats while riding in a motor vehicle. Here are the guidelines:
Any child under the age of 8 years old and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as follows in the rear seat of a motor vehicle:
- A child under the age of 2 years and 30 pounds shall be secured in a rear-facing seat equipped with a 5-point harness.
- A child under the age of 4 years and 40 pounds shall be secured as described in (a) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing seat, then in a forward-facing child restraint equipped with a 5-point harness.
- A child under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as described in (a) or (b) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing or forwardfacing seat, then in a belt positioning booster seat.
- A child over 8 years of age or 57 inches in height must be properly secured by a seat belt.
After your child turns eight or reaches a height of 58 inches, they can move into a regular seat with a seat belt. If you drive a vehicle that does not have a backseat, such as a pickup truck, your child can be placed in the front seat as long as there is not an active airbag on the passenger side. Airbags that deploy during an accident can cause fatal injuries.
How much is the fine if you are caught without your child in the proper seat in Cherry Hill?
If Cherry Hill law enforcement notices that your child is out of their car seat or booster seat, the fine can be up to $75. Even if you have $75 to spare, you should think about the consequences; according to the National Safety Council, nearly a third of all children who died in car crashes in 2022 were unrestrained (189 out of 599 total). It may be a hassle to put your child in their car seat before each ride to school, the store, or doctor’s visits, but it is worth it.
Where to get help with car seats in South Jersey
There are many places in South Jersey that are willing and available to help you install your car seat. If you are having a difficult time or simply do not know how, you can depend on various organizations throughout the community to assist you. These are a few of the places where you can get help with car seats in South Jersey:
You can also call or schedule an appointment with your local police department or sheriff’s department for help with your car seat.
Seven tips on how to correctly choose and use a car seat
As soon as your baby is born, you will need to have a car seat ready to bring them home from the hospital. It is important to know how to correctly choose and use a car seat before their arrival. Remember these seven tips:
- Make sure the car seat is up to date.
- Always choose a seat based on your child’s size, age, and height. A store sales associate may be able to help you with this.
- If your child is young (under four), the car seat will need a five-point harness system.
- While you want to make sure that you can tighten the harness straps, you also want to ensure that they are not too tight.
- Choose a seat that can be adjusted to fit your child as they grow.
- Always read the car seat instruction manual.
- While you may want a cool-looking car seat, remember that safety standards are the main priority when selecting a car seat. In addition, more expensive car seats are not guaranteed to be safer.
If you or your child has been hurt in a crash, get in touch with the Cherry Hill car accident lawyers at Ferrara & Gable right away. We know that no matter how careful and cautious you are, accidents can still happen. If your child’s injuries are a result of another party’s negligence, our team can do everything possible to hold the negligent party accountable and fight for your right to the compensation you need to cover your child’s medical bills, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and any other expenses. Contact our attorneys to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today by calling our office or submitting our contact form. While we are based in Cherry Hill, we proudly serve all of South Jersey.