Colorado Car Seat Laws: Everything You Need To Know
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Car seat safety is an important, and sometimes controversial, topic for parents and motorists. Colorado car seat laws follow the typical convention of deferring to the car seat height and weight limits when applicable, but there are a few specific requirements in the law as well.
Car seat laws are there for the protection and safety of your child and all vehicle occupants, and it is important to follow them at all times. This article will give you a quick breakdown of everything you need to know about Colorado car seat laws!
Colorado Car Seat Laws
In general, the law states that all safety seats should be installed and fitted according to the manufacturers’ instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual. The responsibility for properly restraining a child falls on the parents or caregivers, and drivers will be ticketed if they fail to do so. Failure to properly secure a child in the vehicle will result in a $65 fine and a $6 surcharge as a Class B traffic infraction. These laws do not apply when a child is being transported in a commercial motor vehicle that is operated by a childcare center.
Colorado law requires all children up to 1 year AND 20 pounds to remain in a rear-facing car seat. Rear-facing car seats are the safest for young developing babies in the event of a crash.
In Colorado, as in most other states, a child between the ages of 1 and 4 who has outgrown their rear-facing car seat must remain seated in a forward-facing seat with a 5-point harness until they have outgrown the height and weight for that seat. A 5-point harness uses 2 shoulder straps, 2 hip straps and a crotch strap. 5-point harnesses are safer than using the vehicle seat belt since they can better distribute crash forces more evenly. When forward facing, be sure to always use the car seat’s tether strap in accordance with the vehicle and child restraint instructions manuals.
Children between the ages of 4 and 8 MUST be seated in a child restraint, which could be a 5-point harness car seat, or a booster seat. Which seat you choose to use will depend on your child’s height and weight, their specific car seat, and your vehicle fit requirements.
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Colorado Booster Seat Laws
Colorado law requires all children to ride in a booster seat (or compatible car seat) until at least their 8th birthday. In addition, children should be kept in a booster seat until they are at least 4’9” and able to properly use the vehicle seat belt on their own.
To ride without a booster, children should be able to sit comfortably with their knees bent over the edge of the seat without needing to slouch to reach. This may mean that your child will need to sit in a booster seat until closer to the age of 12.
Children between the ages of 8 to 16 should remain seated in the back seat if it all possible. Typical guidelines around when your child can ride in the front seat are after they have reached at least the age of 13 and weight of 100 pounds. This is due to the possibility of injury from a deployed airbag during a crash. You may also turn off their front passenger airbag or move their seat back as far as possible in order to help prevent airbag injury.
All vehicle occupants must wear a seat belt at all times, regardless of age.
Colorado Car Seat Laws vs. Federal Car Seat Laws
Colorado’s state laws are comparable to other state laws and federal laws when it comes to cat seat usage. All 50 states require booster seats for children who have outgrown their car seats but cannot yet use an adult seat belt safely. Some states, such as California and Connecticut, require a rear-facing restraint system until at least the age of 2.
Although Colorado law only requires rear-facing until the age of 1 year and weight of 20 lbs, the AAP and other safety organizations recommend keeping your child rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight for the seat, which is typically up to 40 lbs or more. Rear-facing better protects your baby or toddler against the impact of a frontal or side crash.
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Colorado Car Seat Considerations
When you are in the market for a new vehicle, you will want to look for one that is able to accommodate the type and number of car seats that you are planning to use. Some vehicles are better than others for fitting 3 car seats in a row, for example. In addition, if you prefer to use the latch system to secure your child’s car seat, you will need to look for a newer vehicle that includes this restraint system. Different cars also have different ways of attaching a car seat’s top tether. A quick Google search for your child’s car seat and the name of the vehicle you are considering will help you determine whether or not the seat and car are a good fit.
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Colorado Car Seat Installation
In addition to having the correct seat, obtaining the proper car seat installation is critical to car seat safety. A large majority of child car seats are actually installed incorrectly, leaving kids vulnerable to death or injury. In order to find out if your car seat is properly installed and secured, there are a few options you can take advantage of.
You can get help at a car seat inspection station near you, where certified car seat technicians will inspect your installation and show you how to use it correctly. These inspections are typically free of charge, and in some locations virtual visits are now available.
In addition, you can also contact a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) at https://www.codot.gov/safety/carseats for help.
Remember, car seat laws are there to protect your child! Even if they at times seem like an annoyance, or your “big kid” doesn’t want to use a booster seat anymore, safety comes first.
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