Mississippi child seat belt laws require children under four years old to be in a child restraint such as an infant car seat or convertible car seat. Also, rear-facing seats should never be used in a front seat if the car contains passenger side airbags. If you are having difficulty installing your child restraint system, such as an infant car seat, you can have your child or infant car seat properly installed by a local fire station that participates in this program. Not having your child properly restrained in a child restraint system or child safety seat can get you ticketed and fined. If your child is not restrained properly, the fine can be as much as $165.
According to iihs.org, children who are four to seven years of age are required by the Mississippi child seat belt laws to be in a booster if they are not yet 57 inches tall or 65 pounds. If your child is ready for a booster seat (typically at about 30 pounds), be sure to use a lap and shoulder belt to properly restrain the child.
In Mississippi, unlike in some other states, child seat belt laws do not require young children to sit in the back seat, although all children, once they have outgrown the booster seat, must be restrained by a seat belt. Children over the age of seven years are allowed to sit in the front seat by law, although it may be safer to keep your child in the back seat until he is at least 13 years of age or about 100 pounds. Although children at this age may not want to wear their seat belt, it is important that they do. If you are pulled over and your child is found not wearing a seat belt (whether in the front seat or back), you will be fined a maximum of $25 for the first time offense.
