Stricter Child Passenger Safety Laws Begin Today

(KNSI) — Minnesotans who drive with kids in their vehicles should be aware of new restrictions that go into effect today.

Before August 1st, state law allowed the car seat manufacturer’s instructions on a child’s height and weight to be used as guidance for what size and type of child seat they need to be in. The new rules specifically state how old a child should be for rear- and forward-facing car seats or booster seats while also increasing the booster seat requirement from eight to nine years old.

A child under two must be placed in a rear-facing or convertible child safety seat. A child at least two years old can be placed in a forward-facing car seat with an internal harness that matches the child’s height and weight. Children who are at least four and have outgrown the forward-facing seat can use a booster seat with a seat belt.

A nine-year-old child who has outgrown the booster seat can ride with a seat belt. A kid under 13 must sit in the back seat if one is available.

For more information on the new regulations, click here.

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