Is My Child Using The Right Child Restraint In The Car?
When motor vehicle accidents happen, children are among those most prone to injuries. In addition to meeting the requirements of Florida’s child restraint law, parents need to also ensure that their children’s car seats are installed and used properly.
Florida’schild restraint lawrequires that children five years of age or younger be properly restrained when riding in a car, regardless of where they are seated. Infants under the age of one and weighing less than 20 pounds should be seated in a rear-facing car seat that is installed at an angle of not more than 45 degrees. If your child is between the ages of one and three, they must ride in a car seat or in your car’s integrated child safety seat. Children between the ages of four and five may use either a car seat, an integrated child safety seat, or the car’s seatbelts. Children aged 12 and under should ride in the rear seats.
In cases in which a seatbelt does not fit your child properly, the shoulder belt should never be placed under your child’s armpit or behind the back. Instead, use a booster seat that will enable your child to wear a car safety belt properly. Despite the fact that the laws permit children over the age of three to be restrained by seatbelts, remember that these laws are minimum standards. Safety experts recommend that children weighing between 40 and 80 pounds and under 4’9” tall should continue to use a booster seat.
Car accidents involving injury to children are stressful events. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, schedule a free consultation with a Tampa auto accident lawyer to discuss your full range of legal options.