Car Seat, Booster Seat Laws (law, safe, title)

[JustMovedToChannahon]

Does anyone know what the Indiana laws regarding children and car seats/booster seats are?

[domergurl]

Child Restraint Laws

[mkat321]

Actually DG that map is outdated. The law now is 8 years OR 80 pounds, and the carseat has to be properly installed and used. Here's the code from the state website

Link: Indiana Code 9-19-11

IC 9-19-11-2
Child less than eight years of age; child restraint system; penalty; medical exceptions; child restraint system account
Sec. 2. (a) A person who operates a motor vehicle in which there is a child less than eight (8) years of age who is not properly fastened and restrained according to the child restraint system manufacturer's instructions by a child restraint system commits a Class D infraction. A person may not be found to have violated this subsection if the person carries a certificate from a physician, physician's assistant, or advanced practice nurse stating that it would be impractical to require that a child be fastened and restrained by a child restraint system because of:
(1) a physical condition, including physical deformity; or
(2) a medical condition;
of the child and presents the certificate to the police officer or the court.
(b) Notwithstanding IC 34-28-5-5(c), funds collected as judgments for violations under this section shall be deposited in the child restraint system account established by section 9 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.57-1998, SEC.4;

And once they reach 8 years, the litmus test is the 5 step carseat test to see if it's safe for a child to ride in a lap/shoulder belt: Boosters Are For Big Kids

The 5-Step Test.
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!

For best protection, all children should ride in the back seat until they are ready to drive. It's twice as safe as the front seat.

[domergurl]

Oh well ... I saw the date at the top listed as April 2010 ...

[mkat321]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Oh well ... I saw the date at the top listed as April 2010 ...

yeah they're pretty bad about listing the whole-site update date as each page's update date. If I hadn't worked on the lobby to get the age raised it probably would have slipped my radar too. I have heard police officers say they weren't aware of it, that disturbs me. The public in general, as long as they don't have carseat age/sized kids, I chalk it up to not hanging in circles where this sort of thing is a reg. topic of discussion.