New York is known for several different things – great shopping, the fashion city, and where you can find the Statue of Liberty.  And like all states in the U.S., it does follow certain car seat laws for children.  If you live in the state of New York, it is important that you know the laws.  Car seat laws vary from state to state, therefore it’s important to know the laws for the actual state you live in.

New York Car Seat Laws:

• If your child is 3 and younger, and weighs less than 40 pounds, they must be seated in a car seat.
• If they’re 4-7 years of age, they must also be in a car seat if there is no shoulder/lap belt available.
• An adult safety belt must also be worn through the ages of 8-15 years old.
• If you fail to follow these laws, you will get points on your record and get a fine of up to $100 for the first offense.  Remember, this can easily be avoided just by following the law.

NOTES:

• It’s always best to keep your baby rear-facing for as long as possible.  An ideal age to turn them forward-facing would be when they’ve reached both 20 lbs and 1 year of age.
• For added safety, a seat belt should always be worn regardless of where you’re positioned in the vehicle.
• Never buy a car seat that was previously owned by someone else.  You never know if it’s been in an accident, if it’s expired, or even worse, recalled due to unsafe conditions.
• Once your child has outgrown their car seat, they must be upgraded to the next stage according to their height and weight.

This is just a brief summary of New York’s car seat laws.  Keep in mind they may change over time, therefore it is your job as a parent to keep up with this very important information.