Children from birth to 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall (whichever is the case) are required to be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat (car seat) or in a booster seat depending on their age and/or weight. If your child is in an infant car seat, you can have the car seat checked or properly installed by your local participating fire station. Toddler car seats and/or booster seats should also be checked.
When you use a booster seat for your young child, use both the lap and shoulder belts with the seat to properly restrain your child. If you're not sure if your child is ready to graduate from the booster seat, a good way to tell is if your child's knees are able to bend at the edge of the seat. If not, he stays in the booster; if so, he can graduate from the booster seat to the adult seat.
Michigan's child seat belt laws cover children up to age 15. Children ages 8 to 15 are required to use a safety belt in all seating positions. A seat belt worn by a child during a motor vehicle crash can reduce a child's risk for injury by up to 59 percent. Make sure to buckle up your kids or teach them to buckle themselves up every time they get into a car or other motor vehicle. For additional safety, all children under the age of 13 should ride in the backseat properly restrained with a seat belt using both the lap and shoulder belts.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Michigan children under 14 years of age, according to MichiganSafeKids.org. Children ages 0-12 months or 20 pounds or less should remain in a rear-facing car seat. Once children are over a year old, and weigh more than 20 pounds, you can put them in a forward facing car seat. If they are over a year but under 20 pounds, keep them in a rear- facing car seat until they meet the minimum weight requirement to be safe. Booster seats are recommended for Michigan children under the age of 9 and who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall or less than 80 pounds. Check to see if your child is able to sit independently and if so, make sure she is still properly restrained in the back seat until age 13.
