North Carolina child passenger safety and seat belt
laws are minimum standards and are based mostly on
age. However, the Highway Patrol has some
recommendations that are based on the weight and
physical development of the child which go beyond
the law and are the very best you can do to insure your
child's safety.
a rear-facing child safety seat
that children ride
rear-facing in the back seat for as long as possible as
allowed by the weight limits of the safety seat being
used. If a child must ride in the front seat, the
Highway Patrol recommends that the air bag be
disengaged.
all children must be
buckled in the front or rear seat, and children
must be properly
secured in a child safety seat meeting federal
standards in effect at the time of its manufacture.
that children
and ride in a rear-facing
child safety seat installed according to manufacturer
instructions of both the child safety seat and the
vehicle. Children and who weigh
can be turned around to face the front of
the vehicle and should ride in a properly installed
front-facing child safety seat until the child outgrows
the seat, which is usually about 40 pounds.
The law says
The Highway Patrol recommends
The law says
The Highway Patrol recommends
Any child seat is legal as long as it meets federal
standards in effect at the time of its manufacture, but it
is not recommended to use a seat that:
is older than 10 years,
has passed the manufacturer's expiration date, or
has been involved in a crash or collision.
must not
be placed in the front seat if an air bag is active.
under age 16
under
the age of 5 and less than 40 pounds
less
than 20 pounds under age 1
over age 1 at least
20 pounds
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B BIN
orth Carolina State Highway Patrol
Department of Crime Control & Public Safety
50,000 copies of this public document printed at a cost of $4295.00 or $ 0.0859 per copy.
North Carolina Law verses the
Highway Patrol’s Recommendation
Place the attached sticker
on the back of your
child's safety seat.
This will give
emergency workers
vital information in case
your child's caregivers are
unconscious or unable
to speak in the event of
a crash or illness.
While most drivers will place
children in child safety seats, 70
to 90 percent do so incorrectly.
Through the BIBS program, we
hope to reverse that trend.
Please take the time to read this
pamphlet and make sure your
baby is safe and secure when in
your car. Your baby's life is too
precious to leave to chance.
People Saving People
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
NORTH CAROLINA
OFFICE OF STATE FIRE MARSHAL
OSFM
Bryan E. Beatty, Secretary
N.C. Department of Crime Control & Public Safety
For additional information, please contact the NHTSA hotline at:
1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236)
UNC Highway Safety Research Center
1-800-672-4527
North Carolina Department of Crime Control & Public Safety
Public Affairs Office (919) 733-5027
The law says
The Highway Patrol recommends
The law says
The Highway Patrol recommends
The law says
The Highway Patrol recommends
children
may use a seatbelt.
that children switch
to a belt-positioning booster seat only when the full
harness child safety seat is outgrown, usually
and continue to ride in the booster seat until
they are at least eight years old, unless they are at least
4'9" tall. Children should not be switched to a seat belt
until the belt fits the child correctly and the child is
mature enough to sit relatively still. Correct fit is
achieved when the child's bottom is against the back of
the seat, the knees bend at the edge of the seat cushion,
the lap belt fits low and tight across the upper thighs,
and the shoulder belt crosses the collar bone and center
of the chest.
seatbelts are required for occupants
only if they are seated in the front seat.
that children
ride in the back seat, and , children
and adults, ride properly restrained in all seating
positions at all times.
children may not ride in the
open bed or cargo area of a truck unless supervised by
an adult.
that ride in the
open bed or cargo area of a truck.
age 5 or greater than 40 pounds
in weight,
about 40
pounds,
16
and older
under
age 12 EVERYONE
under age 12
no one
“Buckle Baby Safely”
In