04/13/2016
The Arkansas State Police wants YOU to know the laws!! Every week, we will post an Arkansas statute and answer a few of the common questions that we get concerning that law.
As parents, we all do our best to KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE!!! Today we are looking at the law on child restraints. Did you know that 90 % of children who are placed in car seats are not properly restrained? That is a very scary statistic!! If you know someone who has children under the age of 13, please share this with them. Everyone needs to be confident that there children are safe in the back seat!!!
27-34-104 - Child Passenger Protection Act
Every driver of a motor vehicle who transports a child under fifteen (15) years of age, shall while the vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway, properly place, maintain, and secure the child in a child passenger restraint system properly secured to the vehicle and meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.
A child who is less than six (6) years of age and who weighs less than sixty pounds (60 lbs)shall be restrained in a child passenger safety seat properly secured to the vehicle.
If a child is at least six (6) years of age or at least sixty pounds (60 lbs) in weight, a safety belt properly secured to the vehicle shall be sufficient.
Although the law states after 6 years of age children can get out of a child passenger safety seat, we recommend that they still be in one, according to their weight and height. Listed below are the proper seat for each age group::
Birth to 12 months: A child under the age of one always rides rear-facing, or facing the back of the car. These children can ride in a rear-facing only carrier, a convertible car seat, or an all-in-one car seat.
1 to 3 years: Children should continue to ride rear-facing as long as possible. This is the safest way for children to ride in a motor vehicle. They should stay in the rear-facing car seat until they reach the upper weight or height limit allowed by that seat for rear-facing, until at least age 2. These children ride in a rear-facing-only carrier, a convertible car seat, or an all-in-one car seat.
4 to 7 years: Children should ride in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the upper weight or height limit of that car seat. The top tether should always be used when forward facing, unless the weight limit has been reached. These children ride in a convertible or a combination car seat.
8 to 12 years: Children should use a high back booster or a backless booster when they have outgrown the forward facing seat with a harness until they can properly fit a seat belt. Boosters are used with lap and shoulder seat belts only.
13 years and up: Children should only move to a lap and shoulder seat belt when they properly fit. By proper fit, the shoulder belt must lay flat on the shoulder, the lap belt portion stays low on the hips (not the stomach), and the child's knees should bend over the seat with their feet touching the floor.
Children should not be front seat passengers until they are at least 13 years old.
