Putting your children in the right car seat, the right way, and at the right time is the best way to save them from potentially serious injuries if you’re involved in an accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021, 711 child passengers ages 12 and younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States, and in 2020 more than 63,000 were injured. Of the children who were killed in a crash, 36% were not buckled up. We definitely need to get that 36% lower. In this article you can learn about laws in Florida for child seats and boosters.
Florida Car Seat Law
Under Florida law, it is mandatory for all children below the age of 5 to be securely fastened in a child restraint device that has passed crash tests and is federally approved. Infants and toddlers, ranging from ages 0 to 3, must be placed in separate carrier child restraint devices or in a vehicle’s built-in child seat provided by the manufacturer. Children between the ages of 4 and 5 are required to be in either a separate carrier, a built-in child seat, or a booster seat.
Children who are 6 years old and above have the permission to use standard seat belts; however, it is advised that they continue to use a booster seat until they reach the height of 4'9" and are at least 8 years old. The booster seat is crucial as it ensures the seat belt is correctly positioned over the child’s hips and shoulders.
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There is a penalty of $60 for violating this law.
Florida infant/toddler Car Seat Law
The law in Florida says that all children under the age of 5 must use a proper car seat based on their age. Because it is not clear in law what kind of seat you should use for the child, you can refer to the manual by the seat manufacturer.
Florida Rear-facing Car Seat Law
Florida does not have a specific law that requires children to ride in a rear-facing car seat until a certain age or weight. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the best car seat is that fits your child perfectly.
Keeping that in mind, we can refer to American Academy of Pediatrics who says “Fortunately, car seat manufacturers have created seats that allow children to remain rear-facing until they weigh 40 pounds or more, which means most children can remain rear-facing past their second birthday,”
Child Booster Seat Laws in Florida
According to Florida law, children of 4 to 5 years age requires booster seats. However, this is not recommended by child safety experts. Your child should be using the forward-facing seat at this age group. You can go through a federally approved child seat’s manual to understand the safety and risk involved.
When Can My Child Sit in the Front Seat in Florida?
Florida law does not specify an age at which children can sit in the front seat. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children remain in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old. This is because the back seat is the safest place for children to ride in a vehicle.
Leaving Child in Car Law in Florida
Florida laws do not allow parents to leave their children in the car alone for more than 15 minutes if the car is turned off. If it’s on, you can’t leave a child unattended at all.
It's very risky to leave your child in the car unattended, so you shouldn't do this anyway.
Is it Illegal to Smoke in a Car with a Child in Florida?
Florida is very liberal in this. It’s not illegal to smoke in a car with a minor present.
However, there is a bill pending in the Florida Senate that would make it illegal to smoke in a car with a child under the age of 13 years old.
Taxi Car Seat Law in Florida
Taxis are exempt from child passenger laws in Florida. It’s the responsibility of the parents to keep the children safe by using a proper system. The law is very clear:
“(6) The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.”
Florida Law Car Seat - Replacement After Accident
Florida doesn’t have any law in place regarding car seats that have been in a crash. You can always refer to the recommendation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
What other ways can I keep my kids safe in cars?
Places to Get Car Seat Help in Florida
Good Car Seat Safety Videos for Florida Parents
Florida Car Seat Law
How to Install a Car Seat
Car Seat Installation and Use
Installing a Car Seat Properly
Resources for More Info on Florida Car Seat Safety
Growing up I was a carefree male going about life like there was no tomorrow. Naturally, I ‘grew’ up, settled down and started a family.
Going from an independent carefree male to a family man was somewhat of a U-turn and required a lot of learning. Luckily for me, my wife works in education and has always been the shining light always ahead of me on all factors kids related.
Initially, my wife didn’t have a driving license (luckily this has now changed and it does make life easier), and all things car related were my task. Child locks were the obvious starting point which lead me down a rabbit hole.
So far we have personally tested dozens of convertible car seats and have owned five despite neither of our kids having reached the age of 5! Simply put, a car seat can be great on paper, work great on trying out but can fail on you in real life.
This is why I have put together this website – to help inform and educate you!
Of course, as I mentioned above, at the end of the day your experience will be the best test so I’d love to hear your experiences and feedback in the comments.
To contact me personally, please do so through my contact page.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Peter
P.S. If you click a link on my site and end up buying a car seat on Amazon, I’ll get paid a small commission (or as the Amazon lawyers put it: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”)
san says
I’m very intense about child safety and what’s right for them.
Sam Webster says
Glad to hear that San!
Harold Grandy says
I always tell my sister to follow the rules regarding child safety; it’s better to be safe than sorry. Thank you, by the way, for sharing this. It’ll help people who don’t know the law in Florida.
Jason Seaton says
Who can I speak with to start a request to make a change to the Florida car seat law?