With Missouri car seat laws evolving every year, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest policies and regulations. This guide is designed to provide you with a comprehensive overview of Missouri car seat laws for 2023, so you can make informed decisions and keep your child safe while on the road. Let’s dive in!
Importance of Car Seat Laws and How They Help Protect Children
Car seat laws are very important in helping to protect children in cars. These laws require that children be securely fastened in an appropriate car seat or booster seat while in a car. This helps to reduce the risk of injury or death in the event of a car crash.
Car seat laws also require that the car seat must be correctly installed in the car, and that the child is properly secured in the car seat. This helps to ensure that the child is properly protected in the event of a crash. Car seat laws help to keep children safe in the car, which is why it is so critical to abide by them.
What are Missouri Car Seat Laws?
Current car seat laws in Missouri
Missouri is one of several states that have enacted car seat and child restraint laws in an effort to reduce the risk of injury or death to children involved in automobile accidents.
- Under Missouri law, all children under the age of 4 years old must be secured in an appropriate child safety seat while riding inside a vehicle.
- Additionally, children who are between the ages of 4 and 8 years old must also be secured in a booster seat unless they meet certain height and weight requirements.
- The current Missouri car seat law requires that all infants under one-year-old or weighing less than 20 pounds must be placed in a rear-facing car seat.
- Children who are between 1 and 4 years of age, or weigh over 20 pounds, but less than 40 pounds must ride in a forward-facing safety seat equipped with an internal harness system.
Who the car seat laws apply to in Missouri?
The car seat laws in Missouri apply to all children under the age of 8 who are required to be restrained in a motor vehicle. All children under the age of 4 must be restrained in a car seat or booster seat. All children between the ages of 4 and 8 must be restrained in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt.
Parents should also make sure that their child’s car seat is properly installed according to manufacturer instructions. They should avoid using second-hand car seats or those that have been involved in an accident, as they may not provide adequate protection.
Missouri Car Seat Requirement by Age
Laws for infants
Missouri car seat laws require that all children under the age of 2 must be secured in an approved car seat when riding in a motor vehicle. All car seats must be rear facing until the child is at least one-year-old and weighs over 20 pounds.
After that, the child must be secured in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they are 4 years old and 40 pounds. Once the child is over 40 pounds, they should be secured in a booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4’9” tall.
Laws for toddlers
In Missouri, children under the age of 4 must be secured in an appropriate car seat or booster seat. This means that once your child outgrows their infant carrier, they’ll need to ride in a rear-facing convertible car seat until they are at least 2 years old or reach the maximum weight and height limits listed by the manufacturer.
After that, they should transition to a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they are at least 4 years old or meet the height and weight requirements set by the manufacturer.
Laws for young children
Missouri car seat laws for young children are designed to keep them safe while on the road. Children between 4 and eight 8 old must use a booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches or weigh more than 80 pounds.
It is important for parents and caregivers to understand and follow these laws, as failure to do so can result in fines and even legal consequences. These laws exist because motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death among young children, and proper use of car seats can significantly decrease the likelihood of serious injury or death.
Types of Missouri Car Seat Laws
Child passenger safety laws
Child passenger safety laws vary from state to state. Generally, these laws require children to use a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt, depending on the child’s age, height, and weight. Most states have laws that require children under a certain age, usually 4 or 5 years old, to be secured in a car seat.
- Children less than 4 years old or less than 40 pounds must be in an appropriate child safety seat.
- Children ages 4 through 7 who weigh at least 40 pounds must be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat unless they are 80 pounds or 4’9″ tall.
- Children 8 and over or weighing at least 80 pounds or at least 4’9” tall are required to be secured by a safety belt or buckled into an appropriate booster seat.
Seat belt laws
Seatbelt laws vary by state. Generally, all states require seatbelts to be worn by drivers and passengers in the front seat of a vehicle. Most states also require seatbelts to be worn by passengers in the back seat, with some exceptions for children under the age of 16. Some states have stricter laws that require all occupants of a vehicle to wear a seatbelt, regardless of age or seat position.
- Children who weigh at least 80 pounds or who are at least 4’9″ tall must be in either a booster seat or seat belt.
- All children under 16 years old must be in a seat belt.
Boost seat laws
“Child booster seat”, a seating system which meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards set forth in 49 C.F.R. 571.213, as amended, that is designed to elevate a child to properly sit in a federally approved safety belt system
Children ages 4-7 who weigh at least 40 but less than 80 pounds and who are 4’9″ or shorter must be secured by either a car seat or booster seat. Children who weigh at least 80 pounds or who are 4’9″ or taller must be secured by either a booster seat or a seat belt.
Taxi car seat law
Missouri does not require car seats or booster seats in a public carrier for hire, such as a taxi or an Uber. That said, public carriers are not immune from auto accidents. To keep kids safe, car seats or booster seats should still be used if possible.
When you book your ride, you can ask if the driver has a seat available, but be prepared to provide your own.
Fines & penalties
Failure to abide by Missouri’s child safety seat laws is punishable by a $50 fine. Need more information on Missouri car seat laws? Learn more about the laws from here.
FAQs
Q: Are there any exceptions to the Missouri car seat laws?
Exceptions may be made for children in certain medical or physical conditions, or for children riding in taxis, school buses, or other public transportation. However, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all children in their vehicle are properly restrained.
Q: When can kids ride in the front seat in Missouri?
Missouri has no state law preventing children from riding in the front seat of a vehicle, as long as they are properly restrained Now, just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics and pure common sense all tell us vehicle restraint systems are designed for adults, not kids. The safest place for kids younger than 13 is in the back seat, for two important reasons.
- Even if a pre-teen is the size of an adult on the outside, they still have an immature skeleton. This puts them at a greater risk of internal injuries in a vehicle collision.
- The back seat is farther from the windshield, dashboard, and airbags – three things responsible for most auto accident injuries.
Good Car Seat Videos for Missourian Parents
Summary
In conclusion, Missouri car seat laws are designed to ensure the safety of young children when traveling in a vehicle. These laws are specific, and parents and guardians need to understand them to avoid violations and, more importantly, to ensure their child’s safety.
Following these regulations will protect children and help prevent accidents that can result in injuries or death. So, make sure to adhere to these laws to keep your child safe while traveling on the road.