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AAA can help you keep your precious cargo safe while on the road.
Statistics
- 3 out of 4 car seats are installed incorrectly
- Child safety seats, or car seats, reduce the risk of injury by 71% to 82%
- Booster seats reduce the risk of non-fatal injuries by 45% among 4 to 9 year olds
Top Car Seat Mistakes
You may think your child is safe if they are riding in a car seat, but they’re not safe if you aren’t using the seat properly.
Visit AAA Exchange to make certain that you are installing and using your car seats properly.
Below are the recommendations for child passenger seat safety at each stage of your child's development. As of August 1, 2024, the new safety law update is in effect. Review the recommendations to ensure your child is riding safely in the car.
Infant seats are designed for newborns until they are 1 year old and weigh 20-30 pounds. Once the infant’s head comes within 1 inch of the top of the shell, they should switch to a rear-facing child passenger seat.
Law
A child must be in a rear-facing infant seat from newborn until they are at least 1 year old AND at least 20 pounds.
Best Practice
A child should be in a rear-facing infant seat until they are at least 1 and are 20-30 pounds depending on the seat weight limit. Use this seat only until the baby’s head comes within 1 inch of the top of the shell.
The rear-facing seat is designed for a baby or young child who’s head comes within 1 inch of the top of the shell, but is either too young and/or light weight to face forward per the law, or has yet to reach the limits provided by the car seat manufacturer about when the seat should be changed to forward-facing.
Law
After reaching the minimum age and weight required by law (2 years old AND has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight), there is no law saying a child must remain rear-facing.
Best Practice
A child should remain rear-facing until the child has reached the rear-facing weight limit (around 35-40 pounds), or as long as the instructions permit. Many states (including MN) require by law that a child remain rear-facing until the age of 2.
Forward-facing seats are generally designed for children age 2 to 4 years old. A child passenger seat can be turned to a forward-facing position once the child has reached the weight and height limits for the rear-facing seat.
Law
Children cannot ride in just a seat belt until they are age 9 or 4 feet 9 inches tall, AND the child can pass the 5-step test.
Best Practice
Because young children are not mature enough to remain seated properly during car rides, it is recommended that a front-facing child passenger seat with harnesses be utilized for as long as the child meets the manual’s height and weight requirements.
Booster seats are for children once they have outgrown a forward-facing seat. This usually occurs when the child is 4-6 years old and 40-60 pounds, and they should remain until they are AT LEAST 9 years old AND can pass the 5-step test. The booster seats help adult safety belts correctly fit a child’s body. There are many types of booster seats:
- High-backed: High-backed seats provide head support for taller children in vehicles without headrests.
- Harnessed: If your child outgrows their forward-facing seat before age 4, they may not be mature enough to stay properly seated, in which case a vest or harness version of the high-backed booster would be the best option for your child.
- No-Back: A no-back booster can be used if the vehicle has a head restraint the child can use.
Law
Minnesota law says a child cannot ride in just a seatbelt until they are age 9 AND can pass the 5-step test.
Best Practice
Children should remain in the booster seat until they have reached the height limit instead of age limit; because vehicle seats and belts are designed to fit adult’s height dimensions, not a child’s.
Law
Your child must be at least 9 years old or have reached the height of 4 feet 9 inches.
Best practices
Follow the height guidelines for staying in a booster seat. If you and your child feel they are ready to sit without a booster seat, answer the questions below.
The Five-Step Seat Belt Fit Test
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and the arm?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- 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.
Law
Minnesota doesn’t have a law restriction on the age for when someone can ride in the front seat of the car. Many states do however have a law that a child must be at least 13 years old to ride up front, so if you plan to travel outside of MN, make sure you look up the other state’s law.
Best Practice
It is best for children under the age of 13 to ride in a rear seat. This is because most crashes occur in the front of the vehicle, and even if the airbag is turned off, it is safer for the child in the back seat.
If your child must ride in the front for some reason, make sure they are properly belted in, using a booster seat or car seat if necessary, and the chair is slid all the way back.
Many parents like the idea that a used safety seat is a good bargain, or they can’t really afford a new seat.
Unfortunately, used seats could have many problems - which are easy to lie about - which is why it is not recommended to purchase a used safety seat, especially from a garage sale or re-sale shop.
However, if you need to go with a pre-used seat, they may be okay to use if:
- It’s not more than 6 years old (expired)
- It’s free of any recalls
- It has not been involved in a crash – minor or major
- All the labels are on the child restraint
- The instruction manual is present
- You know the individual who previously owned the restraint and you confidently know the history of the restraint.
The Five-Step Seat Belt Fit Test
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and the arm?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- 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.
Visit the Office of Traffic Safety for Minnesota to review the new guidelines and current laws in place in MN.
Do Child Passenger Seats Actually Expire?
Find out why you should replace your child's car seat at the expiration date.
Have you ever wondered why car seats have expiration dates? Do they need to be recycled after the expiration date? The answer is yes. Even though the U.S. government currently does not oversee the expiration date on car seats, there are very valid reasons to replace them at the expiration date.
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