This post is brought to you by the Upton Police Department
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death of children and young adults in America. Chances are good that you will be in a motor vehicle crash sometime in your life, it does not matter how good a driver you are. You can never predict when a crash might happen. A properly fitted child passenger restraint system can significantly reduce the occurrence of injury to your child.
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at the Upton Police Department is regarding child passenger restraints laws.
Here is a breakdown of Massachusetts Law:
Child Passenger Restraints
- A passenger in a motor vehicle on any way who is under the age of 8 shall be fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint, unless such passenger measures more than 57 inches in height.
- The child passenger restraint shall be properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The law shall not apply to any such child who is:
(1) riding as a passenger in a school bus;
(2) riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle made before July first, nineteen hundred and sixty-six, that is not equipped with safety belts;
(3) physically unable to use either a conventional child passenger restraint or a child restraint specifically designed for children with special needs
Child Seat Progression
Children should ride rear facing until they are at least one year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds – both criteria are needed before they can ride facing forward. However, it is recommended that children remain rear facing as long as possible (up to the rear facing weight limit of the seat). It is safe for your rear facing baby’s feet to touch the vehicle seatback. A child will outgrow a rear facing seat when they have either reached the rear facing weight limit of the seat or the top of their head is less than one inch from the top of the seat. It is important that a rear facing child’s head is below the top of the car seat so they have proper head and neck support in the event of a crash
Most forward facing car seats have a weight limit on the harness system of 40 pounds. A child is too tall for a forward facing seat when the tops of his or her shoulders are higher than the top harness slots. When a child outgrows a forward facing seat he or she should then use a booster seat in conjunction with an adult lap and shoulder belt until they are 4’9″ tall. If you have a seat that converts to a booster you must remove the harness system when the child reaches the weight or height limit and use the adult seatbelt with the booster seat. Note: Do not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended weight or height limits for the child safety seat.
If you need assistance installing your car seat or have questions regarding booster seats contact our Certified Child Passenger Safety technician, Detective Nicholas Palmieri at (508)529-3200
UPTON DAILY 