Did you know that in 2017, seat belt usage in Mississippi was at 78.8%, while the national average was 89.6%?
In 2015, seat belts saved the lives of 266 passengers in Mississippi, and 121 more lives could have been saved if everyone followed car seat safety laws.
Make sure to buckle up – for your safety and your kids!
Mississippi Car Seat Law
Section 63-7-301 of Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulations deals with Child Passenger Restraints:
“Every person transporting a child under the age of four (4) years in a passenger motor vehicle, and operated on a public roadway, street or highway within this state, shall provide for the protection of the child by properly using a child passenger restraint device or system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.”
A fine of $25 will be imposed for violating this law.
Mississippi Rear-facing Car Seat Law
Mississippi law doesn’t specifically mention the usage of the rear-facing car seat but instead require the use of child safety “device or system“. According to experts, for children under 2 years old, this device or system is rear-facing car seat.
Mississippi Forward-facing Car Seat Law
After outgrowing the rear-facing seat, children should travel in forward-facing seats. Forward-facing seats must be used until the child outgrows the seat, and is ready to move to a booster seat.
Child Booster Seat Laws in Mississippi
Children who are between the age of 4 to 7 are required by law to use booster seats. According to law, a booster seat must be used if the child is under 4 feet 9-inch height and weigh less than 65 pounds.
When Can My Child Sit in the Front Seat in Mississippi?
Mississippi law doesn’t mention any age when your child can sit in the front seat. However, By the law, you can’t place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat. For children, it is recommended by the experts to have them in the front seat after they have outgrown the booster seat and the adult seat belt fits them perfectly.
Leaving Child in Car Law in Mississippi
There are currently no laws regarding leaving children alone in a vehicle.
Is it Illegal to Smoke in a Car with a Child in Mississippi?
Mississippi is trying to make it illegal – a bill presented failed to pass last year – so, as of now, it is not illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child.
Taxi Car Seat Law in Mississippi
There is no law that would give taxis exemption from the car seat laws
Places to Get Car Seat Help in Mississippi
Here are some resources that can help you with the car seat inspection and provide you further help.
Good Car Seat Videos for Mississippian Parents
The Inch Test
Child Passenger Safety - 5 Step Test
How to Install a Car Seat
How to secure your car seat
Infant car seat installation
Rear-Facing Seat with a Seat Belt
Rear-Facing Convertible with Seat Belt
High-Back Booster Seat
Using a Backless Booster Seat
Is it time to move from a booster to a seat belt?
Resources for More Info on Car Seat Safety in Mississippi
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”)
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