GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. According to government data, 37% of the child passengers who were killed in car accidents in 2017 were “unrestrained,” i.e., not secured in any car seat.
Michigan Auto Law Attorney, Brandon Hewitt, explains the details on Michigan car seat laws below:
What are the Michigan car seat laws based on a child’s age?
Children Under 4:
- Car Seat must meet Federal Safety Requirements
- Must ride in rear-seat
Children 4-8 AND “less than 4 feet 9 inches in height”:
- Must be properly secured in a “child restraint system” (i.e., car seat) “in accordance with” instructions from the manufacturers of the car seat and the vehicle as well as with federal safety requirements.
Child Passengers Under 16:
- Must wear properly adjusted and fastened safety belt whether in front or rear seat
16 years of age and older:
Although the laws don’t specifically address the issue, one could argue that a child who is 16 or older who is riding in the rear seat is not obligated to wear a safety belt.
However, obligated or not, it’s safe, advisable and responsible for 16 year olds – or anyone – to wear a safety belt when riding in the rear seat.
What do the laws say about seating children 4 years of age and older?
Michigan law is silent, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that:
“All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.”
What are the Michigan car seat laws based on the types of child’s car seats?
The only mention in the Michigan car seat laws of any type of child car seat is the discussion about rear-facing car seats and airbags. Specifically, the laws provide that if circumstances require that “a child in a rear-facing child restraint system” be positioned in the front seat, then “the front passenger air bag” must be deactivated.
However, the Michigan Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning offers the following car seat-specific safety advice:
- Rear-facing car seats: Infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing car seats as long as it is possible for them to do so, i.e., until they reach the car seat’s height and weight limits, as specified by the manufacturer.
- Forward-facing car seats: Children who have outgrown their rear-facing car seats should use forward-facing car seats (with a harness) as long as possible until they reach the seat’s height and weight limits.
- Booster seats: Children who have grown too big for rear- and forward-facing car seats should use booster seats with a belt-positioning feature. They will continue with the booster until the car’s lap/shoulder belts fits properly – which is generally around the time a child turns 8 years of age and/or exceeds 4 feet 9 inches in height.
- Safety belts: Children should use the vehicle’s lap/shoulder safety belts once they have outgrown the child car seats and the booster seats.
To learn more about Michigan Auto Law or Michigan car seat laws, you can visit MichiganAutoLaw.com
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