Minnesota car seat law changing as of Aug. 1, 2024
New guidelines:
Birth to at least 2 years old:
- Rear-facing in an infant or convertible child safety seat.
At least 2 years old AND has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight:- Forward-facing with an internal harness.
4 years old AND has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight:
- Ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.
9 years old or has outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly:
- Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat.
Additionally, children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.
If a child falls into more than one category, then the child must be placed in the safer restraint for them. For example, a child who is 2.5 years old and weighs 35 pounds but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds must stay rear-facing even though they are over 2 years old. It's very important for parents and caregivers to always read their car seat and vehicle owners' manuals for proper installation.
Statistics
In Minnesota crashes from 2019 to 2023, preliminary figures show:
- Of the 12,827 children ages 0-7 properly restrained, 89 percent were not injured. Another 10 percent sustained only minor injuries.
- 20 children ages 0-7 were killed in motor vehicles. Of those, only 10 were known to be properly secured.
- Of the 81 children (ages 0-7) seriously injured in motor vehicles, only 44 percent were known to be properly secured.
For the safety of your children
Be an attentive driver
Always buckle up
Always secure your children in the proper restraint for their age, height and weight.
Always have your children sit in the back seat.
See what happens to a child in the front seat when an air bag deploys.
