What age do you stop using baby seats & booster seats in In New York State?
Saturday, May 30th, 2009 at
7:46 pm
Also, at what age can a child just sit in a seat and seat belt is just fine with no booster seat?
Tagged with: booster seat • google • script type • seat belt • text javascript
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New York’s Occupant Restraint laws require the following:
Children up to the age of 4 must be properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat that is attached to a vehicle by a seat belt or universal child restraint anchorage (LATCH) system.
Children less than age 4 but weighing more than 40 pounds may be restrained in a booster seat with a lap/shoulder safety belt.
Children ages 4, 5 and 6 must be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint system, one for which the child meets the height and weight recommendations of the child restraint manufacturer. Children more than 57 inches tall, or weighing more than 100 pounds, are exempt from this requirement, and may be secured in a seat belt.
Children riding in booster seats must be secured with a combination lap/shoulder seat belt, unless one of the two following conditions exists:
1. the vehicle is not equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts, or
2. all lap/shoulder seat belts are already being used to restrain other passengers under the age of 16.
If either of these conditions exists, the child should be secured in a lap belt without the booster seat. In other words, never secure a child in a booster seat with only a lap belt.
From the age of 7 until they reach their 16th birthday, children must be restrained in a seat belt when they ride in the back seat. Front seat passengers must be properly restrained at all times, regardless of age.
i think the law is they have to be 4’9
Children can stop using a booster seat when they are 7 years old in New York. They start using the booster seat when they are 4 years old or 40 lbs.
New York State Child Passenger Law Upgraded to Require Appropriate Restraint Use For Children Under Age Seven
no age, its weight and height limit.. but its funny because I have a friend who is 4’9 and technically she should be in a booster seat! lol and shes 24!
NYS posts billboards everywhere about this, it is 4’9 and 80 pounds, NOT either or it has to be BOTH! Here is a link to NYS about the laws they have for children and their car seat.
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/sesa-ndx.htm#regarding
THIS IS THE GENERAL 5STEP BOOSTER TEST.
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to ride safely in the car.
-Please keep in mind that when using a booster seat, if the seat belt in your car were to fail, there would be nothing to protect your child. Keeping your child in a 5 point harness carseat that tethers to the car is much safer. These go up to 65 and 80 pounds, now!!
Why do you care what the law is in New York State if the child is not as safe as possible? State laws are rarely written to the best safety practices… they nearly always fall short.
So if you are following the ’5 step test’ which tells when a child can *safely* use an adult seatbelt only… then you will be well within the law as well.
’5 Step Test’ : http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm? 4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Most children pass this test around 8-10yrs of age… but it is the fit, not the weight, height or age that determines if the child is safe. Please see the webpage for pictures of a poor and a correct fit as well.