In California, if a child is under two years old they need to ride in a rear-facing car seat. The only exception is if they weigh 40 pounds or more or are 40 inches or taller. Children under the age of eight need to be safely secured in a car seat or booster seat in the backseat.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), proper use of the right child car seats will significantly reduce the risk of fatal injuries in small children. Incidentally, if you’re driving with your children who are not in a car seat or booster seat, you are putting them at risk and could face penalties if caught.
We can help you understand how to safely drive with your small children in California, what happens if you don’t follow the booster seat laws, and how to protect your family with the right coverage.
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Start earning nowWhat is the booster seat law in California?
California car seat law
mandates that all children under two years old must ride in a rear-facing seat. This only applies to children who weigh less than 40 pounds or are shorter than 40 inches. California seat belt law
also stipulates that children under eight years old have to be safely secured in either a car seat or booster seat in the backseat of the vehicle. California does not consider graduation time when outlining when your child should move from car seats to other safety seats. This can be really stressful. To help, review this table that breaks down how to secure your child before you start driving:
| | Child weight and/or height |
|---|
Infant seat (rear-facing) | | |
Toddler seat (forward-facing) | Two years until they outgrow seat | |
| | Between 40 and 80 pounds/under 4’9’’ tall |
| | |
It’s usually recommended to tailor your child’s car seats to their height and weight, not their age. Furthermore, it’s best if children continue sitting in their booster seats until they can be comfortably secured by adult-sized seatbelts.
Key Takeaway Children under two years old must ride in a rear-facing seat (if less than 40 pounds or under 40 inches tall). Children under eight years old must be safely secured in either a car seat or booster seat.
How to safely install a booster or car seat
Start by figuring out the dimensions for your child’s safety and buy a seat accordingly. Of course, the most important thing is to make sure you safely install the booster or car seat before you drive with your child.
Remember, most stores where you buy the car seat will not install it for liability purposes. That said, the NHTSA offers detailed instructions to help you safely install a child car seat
. Or you can find an inspection station
close to your home. Get rewarded for safe driving. Earn points and unlock benefits. Totally free.
Start earning nowWhat are the penalties for breaking the booster seat law in California
Breaking California’s booster seat laws can result in a $100 fine for the first offense. The second and subsequent violations can result in a $250 fine. If you do not pay your fine and any court fees you could lose your driver’s license.
These are only the basic fines and are sometimes treated as starting points for penalties.
How breaking booster seat laws can impact insurance in California
A booster seat violation will be noted by your insurance company and you may have to pay more every month. If your violation puts points on your driving record, your rates will most likely be increased by your car insurance
company. If your driving record already has blemishes, receiving additional violations or points can drive up your rates even more.
Finding cheap car insurance
It’s important to protect our kids while we’re driving, and Jerry can help you do that by connecting you to affordable car insurance in California. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a perfect driving record, Jerry
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