Tennessee Car Seat Law

Tennessee car seat laws provide guidelines based on age, weight, and height for all children younger than 12. All kids under eight need a federally approved safety system.
Written by Bonnie Stinson
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Tennessee car seat laws require that all children under the age of 12 must use an appropriate child restraint system. Children younger than eight must ride in the back seat, and children younger than a year old must be rear-facing.
Breaking car seat laws could earn you fines, along with putting young passengers in danger.
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What is the car seat law in Tennessee?

Children under eight years old—or less than 4 feet 9 inches—must use a federally approved child restraint system.
In Tennessee, children under a year must be rear-facing and children between one and three years old should be forward-facing in the back seat. It’s worth noting that the American Pediatric Association recommends that children ride rear-facing until the age of two.
Between four and eight years old, children must use a "belt-positioning booster seat system." Children between nine and 12 should ride in the back seat and must use adult seat belts.
Key Takeaway Children under 12 should ride in the back seat in Tennessee, and infants under a year must be rear-facing.

What are the penalties for breaking the car seat law in Tennessee?

It’s considered a Class C misdemeanor to break the car seat law in Tennessee. You will be charged a fine of $50.

Can breaking the car seat law impact my driving record?

You will not get points added to your record if you break the Tennessee car seat laws.
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How breaking car seat laws can impact insurance in Tennessee

It’s unlikely that breaking a car seat law in Tennessee will affect your car insurance rates.
Since you won’t accumulate any points if you break the law, the insurance company will have no indication that you were pulled over and ticketed.
However, if you don’t pay your fee on time then your
credit score could go down, which could affect the cost of insurance
. In Tennessee, it’s legal for insurance companies to use someone’s credit score to set rates.
Tickets also appear on your driver abstract, which your insurance company may have access to. That means if you rack up lots of tickets, it could potentially impact your insurance premiums (not for the better).

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