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Florida Increases Age Requirement For Car Seats
June 25, 2014
Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Tuesday raising the car seat age requirement in Florida
The car seat law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, requires children up to 5 years old to be placed in car seats or booster seats when riding in a vehicle. Currently, only children 3 years old and younger are required to ride in the restraining devices.
“With this initiative, we are working to ensure our children travel safely and remain protected on the road,” Scott said. “We will continue to do all we can to keep every Floridian safe, so they can enjoy everything our great state has to offer with their loved ones.”
Kevin Bakewell, vice president of AAA Auto Club South, issued a statement with measured praise for the bill, though his organization recommends children use at least a booster seat until they are 4-foot-9 — a height they usually reached when they are 8 to 12 years old.
“While this law does not cover all children who need to be safely restrained, it is a step in the right direction,” Bakewell said. “On matters of public safety, Florida’s parents look to state law for solid guidance. That’s why this law is so important.”
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
13 Responses to “Florida Increases Age Requirement For Car Seats”
As a rule I never drive cars owned by other people, but when I visit the grand-kids in Kansas City it becomes necessary. Three kids at various ages and weight. All of those seats are installed to withstand accidents and I’m not moving them to my car for any reason. It has to be that all of these light-weight vehicles are the problem and the children must be kept safe. Look at all of the roll-overs we see. Imagine the kids surviving these accidents without extra protection. When my kids were little the cars were way too heavy to roll over. But that Mercury also got 9 miles to a gallon, lol.
@ stacy..
we are in florida not Alabama
Good grief, if you take time to do an ounce of research you guys will stop trying to fight the system just because you hate change or people telling you what to do. Google children forward facing and rear facing. Watch the graphic videos of what happens. Read the many stories of regretful parents. Try to find true cons and you will find none. My child happily rear faces at the age of 3. People will tell me about broken legs, I will chose broken legs over a broken spine any day of the week. I encourage anyone to do just a little bit of reading.
Ok I know the law is not implementing any changes about extended infant rear facing but hopefully this will come next. MAY is exactly right about why these changes are so important.
This is about revenue generation through road piracy. Gotta keep those dollars coming in for those big government employee bonuses and perks!
It would be fascinating to find out which Legislators own markets shares of any parent company that has businesses that make or sells car-seats.
Good thing my 40 year old daughter is 4′10″.
How many times have you heard or read “The youth of today is much smarter than their parents or grandparents?” I wonder have many of these “law makers” rode in car seats until the age of 5? How many of these “law makers” ever even sat in one? Even though they act like they need to be in one now.
Alabama Car Seat Rules:
> Up to 1 year old or 20 pounds: A rear-facing, infant-only or convertible seat.
> 1 year old – 5 years old or 40 pounds: A forward-facing car seat.
> 5 years old – 6 years old: A booster seat.
See: http://www.dmv.org/al-alabama/safety-laws.php#Child-Car-Seat-Laws-in-Alabama
There has to be a psychological component for some 4 year olds who will have to go back to riding in a car seat after graduating out of one and for the parents who gave away or threw away the car seats that they thought they no longer needed, but have to buy another one to use for a few more months?
I like the law, but wondering when in other states do we have to go by Florida’s car seat/booster law or the other state’s. We are so close to the Alabama area just wondering. If you have information concerning this or know how to get it, please post.
The car seat recommendation that AAA refers to is actually the recommendation of the AAP (America Academy of Pediatrics. It includes both an age and a height …”children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.” This provides that the child’s bone and muscle structure is able to withstand the impact of a crash and and belt is protecting them, not harming them. There are several other recommendations that have not been put in to law in this state that can be found at the website bellow. Keep our kids safe!
– See more at: http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Updates-Recommendation-on-Car-Seats.aspx#sthash.ftrLfJPi.dpuf
What if a person were vertically challenged and never grew to be 4′9″? If they made that a law would they have to ride in a carseat their entire life…?
I wonder off this pertains to school buses? If so that will mean that all pre-K wiil be in carseats. Big expense for the District (who didn’t even realize that carseats have expiration dates)