New York Car Seat Laws

Tragically, on average, in the U.S., a total of 723 children younger than 13 die due to motor vehicle accidents, which translates to about 60 children every week.

What can I do to keep my children safe while on the road?

First and foremost, make sure to be a responsible driver. Keep your eyes on the road, follow the speed limit, keep both hands on the steering wheel, don’t text and drive and don’t drive while under the influence. I’m sure we can all pledge to do these things.

Statistics show that in about 32% of the 723 children mentioned, the child fatalities were due to improper restraint of the children. About 14% of the total 732 fatalities were due to children sitting in the front seat.

To prevent this, it is imperative that you keep your children in proper restraints.

Let’s take a closer look at New York Car seat laws to provide the utmost safety to our kids:

1. Children who are 4 years old or younger must be properly strapped into federally-approved car seats.

While baby car seats come to mind first when we think of car seats, it is absolutely imperative that children 0-4 years old are riding in a car seat that is appropriate for their age. In addition, in order for these seats to be effective, the seat has to be properly anchored to the car and the child has to be properly strapped in. Not doing so could result in injury or death.

2. Between 4 and 8 years old, the child must sit in a federally approved car seat.

These may include booster seats that are anchored in by a seatbelt, harness vests or safety seats that are age and size appropriate. In some cases, child seats are adjustable so that as your child grows, you can simply adjust the car seat to properly support them.

3. By law, everyone who is 16 or under must be wearing a seatbelt while in the front or back seat of the car.

However, everyone who is riding should be wearing a seatbelt. According to the CDC, wearing a seatbelt reduces the chance of fatality when in a traffic collision by 50%. This not only includes protection from the vehicle or vehicles involved in the accident but also from the impact of the airbags that deploy at speeds of up to 240 mph. In addition, anyone who is not over 4 foot 9 inches will not be appropriately protected by the seat belt. They should be using a booster seat that is properly anchored to the car for proper seat belt protection.

4. While there is no official law in New York that specifies at which age a child can start sitting in the front seat, it is recommended that parents and guardians should refrain from letting their kids sit in the front seat until they are at least 12 years old.

This recommendation comes from the concern of airbag related injuries. As previously stated, they deploy at 240 mph and may result in injury or death especially when coming into contact with a small child.

As parents, we want to do everything we can to protect our children from danger. First, we can start with preventative measures to be the most prepared for the unpredictable conditions on the road. Doing your part can prevent serious injury or death when collisions do occur.

If you were involved in a car accident, call The Gropper Law Group at 212.366.4600 for legal assistance to get the proper care and compensation your passengers deserve.