You know that wearing a seatbelt can prevent serious injury in a car accident. When you become a parent, you must also become familiar with child safety seat laws designed to keep kids safe in collisions.
Whether you are expecting or already have young children, review the child safety seat laws in Arizona.
Infant and convertible seats
Before your child reaches a year old, he or she should ride in a rear-facing infant seat. Most infant seats accommodate babies weighing less than 22 pounds and less than 29 inches tall.
Children ages 1 to 4 can ride in a convertible seat until they reach 40 inches tall and 40 pounds. This type of seat should remain rear-facing until the child is at least 20 pounds, though most experts recommend keeping kids rear-facing until age 3.
Booster seat requirements
Children younger than 5 must ride in an approved child safety seat at all times. Passengers ages 5 to 8 who are shorter than 57 inches tall must also ride in a restraint system, such as a booster seat that adjusts the adult seatbelt to fit correctly. Arizona updated the law to add this provision in 2012.
Installation recommendations
Child safety seat manufacturers must follow federal safety regulations. When installing your child’s safety seat, carefully follow the instruction manual and read all included information to make sure the system restrains your child safely.
Failure to follow these child safety seat laws results in a $50 fine in Arizona. However, you could be responsible for a higher municipal fine depending on where you receive this type of ticket. Many cities have stricter penalties to keep kids safe from serious auto accident injuries.
