Importance of Proper Child Safety Restraints
Seatbelt use can save lives. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seatbelts saved nearly 15,000 lives in 2017, and over 2,500 lives could have been saved had the car occupant been properly restrained. These numbers are staggering, helping to illustrate why New York State requires that motorists be properly restrained.
According to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, this rule applies to children as well. Every child in the vehicle regardless of age must use a “safety restraint. ” The DMV states that children younger than 4 must be properly secured in a federally approved child-restraint seat that is “attached to a vehicle by a safety belt or universal child-restraint anchorage (LATCH) system.” According to the DMV, New York state law requires that children under 2 ride in rear-facing child-safety seats and all children ride in child-restraint systems until they are 8.
The DMV also warns that safety seats and restraint systems must be certified according to a federal standard and that users must follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
The DMV offers a list of helpful examples to help select the correct child safety seat. For example, according to the DMV, infant seats are usually designed for infants weighing approximately 22 pounds or less and are 25 inches or less in length, “convertible” child safety seats are for infants or toddlers weighing about 40 pounds or less, and “booster seats” are for children who have outgrown convertible or toddler seats.
Before a parent or guardian drives with a child or infant in the car, they must ensure that all occupants are properly restrained in accordance with the law, which they should review and become familiar with. Helpful information is available on the DMV website.