age limit for seat belts
Keep your child who has outgrown his forward-facing car seat in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are big enough to fit in regular seat belts. Keep in mind that, according to the AAP, this is usually not until a child has 'reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.'. This is because younger children are too small for an adult seat belt. The lap belt rides up over the stomach, and the shoulder belt cuts across the neck. In Georgia, automobile accidents are the leading cause of death and injuries for children ages 1 to 12 years. The national statistics are sobering - in 2009, 1,314 children were killed and 179,000 were injured, according to the CDC. The lack or improper use of car seats is a major contributor to this problem. According to Georgia law: 1  ALL children under the age of 8 whose height is less than 57 inches must ride in the backseat of a car. 2  Children under the age of 8 are required to be in either a car seat or a booster seat suitable for their age and height. If there is not a back seat in the vehicle (e.g., a truck) or if other restrained children are in the back seat, Georgia law permits a child under the age of 8 to sit in front if restrained in the proper car seat or booster and the child weighs at least 40 pounds. Seat belts are made for adults and do not fit young children correctly. Booster seats raise children up so the adult seat belt fits them. Booster seats position the shoulder belt across the shoulder and chest, not the neck. Booster seats also keep the lap belt low over the hip and thigh bones, not across the belly. The seat belt laws in Florida states that it is mandatory to wear seat belts for all the front seat passengers. Also, children below 18 years of age should wear seat belts unless they are not sitting on the car seat. It is against the law if you do not obey these rules. The seat belt law applies to all kinds of vehicles —whether it is car, van, pickup truck or any other passenger carrying vehicles. In 2008, a total of 14,154 children, ages 6-8 years, in Georgia were involved in motor vehicle crashes. Of those, 10 were killed and 1,755 were injured. Only 12 percent of these children reportedly used a supplemental restraint, such as a child safety seat or a booster seat, in addition to the adult seat belt. Hospitalization charges for 248 children hospitalized in traffic-related injuries were about $7 million. Additionally, many car seats have built-in lock-offs to lock the belt without having to separately lock the seat belt as well. Refer to the vehicle owner's manual for details about how your seat belt locks. Middle of the back seat: The safest place to ride for all children younger than 13 years is the back seat. If possible, it may be best to ride in the middle of the back seat. However, it is sometimes difficult to install a car seat tightly in the middle if the vehicle seat is narrow or uneven. Seat belts are made for adults. Children should stay in a booster seat until adult seat belts fit correctly, typically when children reach about 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 through 12 years of age. Most children will not fit in a seat belt alone until 10 to 11 years of age. New York State law requires all front seat passengers to wear seat belts. Children under the age of 16 must wear seat belts when they are in the front seat or the back seat. Children under the age of four must ride in safety seats. See the information above about safety restraint systems required for children until their 8th birthday.
8 through 12 years of age.