Introduction to Car Seat Laws in New Jersey
New Jersey has various types of child safety rules and regulations and standards when it comes to car seats. It is very important to follow these laws as a parent or guardian to ensure you are keeping the children you are responsible for safe. There are standards in terms of both age, height, and weight while a child is occupying a vehicle as well as requirements in terms of how the car seat should be installed and used in regards to securing the child if the car is put into motion.
There are a couple of different New Jersey car seat laws that need to be addressed here. For starters, under New Jersey law, infants should not travel in the front seat of a car if they are in a rear-facing car seat. They also cannot ride in a school bus unless they are using the seat follow the guidelines set by the school. Even if they are in a forward-facing car seat, they are prohibited from occupying the front seat . Furthermore, under N.J.A.C. 13:20-32.14, children also cannot be left unattended in a car that is moving unless seated in a federally approved belt positioning booster seat.
You should also know about the N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.2a statute which requires that all children under 8 years old must be secured in a Federally approved child restraint system. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this means children will be required to be in an appropriate child safety seat, a booster seat or in a seat with a seatbelt secured depending on their age and weight. You can consult this chart: It is also important to know that children are required to stay in a booster seat until they are between 8 and 17 years old and should remain in the back seat after age 12 because they are likely to be involved in a serious accident if they are in the front seat.
Types of Car Seats to Use and When
It’s not just about your child’s safety, it’s also the law. The following is a breakdown of New Jersey’s law and guidelines for car seat requirements:
Birth to 2: Children under 2 years old must be in a rear-facing car seat. The car seat must be secured to the vehicle in a rear position with a 5-point harness. If your baby begins to outgrow their rear-facing car seat, switch to one that accommodates their height and weight, as long as they do not weigh more than 40 pounds at age 2.
2 years to 4 years: Children between 2 and 4 years old must use a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness and top tethering strap. The car seat must be secured to the vehicle in a forward position.
4 years to 8 years: If your child is under 57 inches (4-foot-9), they must be in a booster seat secured to the vehicle with a lap-and-shoulder belt.
8 years and older: Once your child reaches 57 inches or 4-foot-9, they can use a lap-and-shoulder belt secured across their body.
Penalties for Not Using Car Seats
In New Jersey, failure to comply with the child restraint law carries stiff penalties, including fines. All fines collected are used to promote child passenger safety through education and outreach programs. If you are stopped for a violation, you will receive a summons and a fine.
The penalty for violating the Child Seat Law is:
• First offense $50 plus court costs
• Second offense $100 plus court costs
• Third and subsequent offense $100 plus court costs
• Minimum fine if a court determines that a violation of the law resulted in physical injury to a child $100 plus court costs
It is important to note that there is a point system associated with all traffic violations under the New Jersey Motor Vehicle point system. A first offense violation of the child passenger safety law is assessed two points. A second offense is assessed three points; and a third or subsequent violation is assessed four points.
A summons under the statute for a first and second offense must be issued to a parent, guardian, person, or legal custodian, as well as the person who was primarily responsible for the violation, if different from the parent. A third and subsequent violation summons must be issued to the primary responsible person for the violation. This includes a person who was not the parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult.
Updates to New Jersey Car Seat Laws
Recently, New Jersey has updated its car seat laws to reflect the latest medical research on child safety. As of September 1, 2015, New Jersey requires children under age 2 to be secured in a rear-facing car seat. Previously, the law required them to be in a rear-facing seat until age 1. In a similar vein, the new New Jersey laws specify that children under age 8 must be in booster seats, whereas before, the law simply specified that they needed to be in a car seat . When New Jersey state legislators first passed these laws, they did so in the interest of keeping their children safer when traveling in the family vehicle. By extending the age at which a child will be in a car seat, legislators and medical experts hope to ensure that kids in New Jersey will not be as susceptible to injuries in the event of an accident.
Car Seat Installation Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe
It’s vital to ensure that the car seat is properly fitted in the vehicle in which your child will be riding. Here are some tips:
- Always refer to the instruction manual with your selected car seat. Manufacturers generate specific recommendations for installation, so make sure to read and follow them to a "T."
- Install the car seat BEFORE buckling in your child. If you hook the car seat up while the child is already in it, you won’t be able to test the security of the seat.
- Rock the car seat back and forth from one side to the other to determine whether it is secure. When the seat is installed correctly, this rocking movement will not cause the seat to move in the forward and backward directions.
- Pull up on the safety belt to ensure that it is not slack. The belt should fit loosely along the child’s body but tight against the car seat.
- Test the degree of recline to determine whether it meets the recommendations in the owner’s manual. The back should recline at a 30- to 45-degree angle.
- Evaluate the structure of the seat to make sure that the back does not come up above the head restraint, which can create a head and neck injury risk.
- Test the security of the harness system to ensure that the child is snugly secured in it.
- Test the LATCH system to make sure that it is securely fastened and that it fits tightly. A LATCH may be used only with compatible seats and anchors.
Additional Resources for Parents
Parents seeking further information regarding New Jersey’s car seat laws can find a wealth of knowledge from various local, state, and federal government resources, as well as numerous nonprofits devoted to child safety. First and foremost, the State of New Jersey has dedicated a website to the promotion of child passenger safety. Parents and caregivers can find a wealth of knowledge on New Jersey’s current laws, the different types of car seats available, how to properly install these seats, and the different features that they provide. Furthermore, parents and caregivers can find testing results for common car seats, guidance on how to choose the right car seat for their child, and resources for how to obtain a car seat if they cannot afford one. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a wealth of knowledge about child safety seats on their website. This site provides information about the different types of, and the benefits of, child safety seats. The NHTSA also provides a wealth of information about the proper ways to install and utilize these safety seats. Providing a step-by-step process for parents and caregivers to follow, this resource can help ensure that parents have a thorough understanding of these safety tools. Finally , this site also provides information for how to find a car seat fitting station. While NHTSA notes that "84% of installed car seats are used incorrectly," the installation process can be assisted by these fitting stations. Parents can contact their local government office or search online for these stations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is yet another nonprofit that can provide valuable information to parents, caregivers, or anyone else who wishes to learn more about car seats. In addition to providing a lot of the same information that NHTSA does, the AAP also provides detailed shipping and labeling information for the different types of seats, including boosters, convertible seats, and a selection of various premium car seat models. There are additional resources available to parents, including the CDC’s information on car seats and the New Jersey State Police Child Passenger Safety Information page. The New Jersey Coalition for Infant and Toddler Health (NJ CATCH) also provides an excellent resource for parents seeking information about car seats, as well as a list of services that can provide additional information and assistance to parents and caregivers.
