Illinois Car Seat Laws: Everything You Need To Know
Photo by Johannes Krupinski on Unsplash
Now that the summer months are upon us, it’s more important than ever to keep your children safe on the highway. While parents are expected to know how to keep their children safe, Illinois car seat laws can be a little confusing. Instead of having to navigate it on your own, we have everything you need to know below.
It’s not just about staying safe but also about following the law, keeping your loved ones and your kids safe no matter where you roam. If you’re not sure about what the laws state or how you can abide by them, we’ve got a breakdown of all that you need to know including some suggestions on how you can find the best fit for your kid.
Illinois Car Seat Laws: The Basics
Though there are specific laws, you can also find a very basic set of rules that all must abide by. To give you a general idea about how to keep your child safe, the law states that all children below the age of eight must be safely secured in a child restraint system.
The state does not offer any height or weight suggestions as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Still, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to know the laws and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations while driving that could keep your child safer while they’re riding along.
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Rear Facing Car Seat
Rear-facing car seats are said to be the safest form of transportation for infants and young children. When you drive your baby home from the hospital, the first ride that they will take is in a rear-facing car seat. Though much depends on the height and weight of your child, the state of Illinois states that children under the age of two, and also less than 40 pounds, should stay in a rear-facing car seat.
Forward Facing Seats
When it comes to the law in Illinois, there are no sections that pertained to front-facing seats. Instead, there are some recommendations from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) that state all children from three to four years old should be in a forward-facing car seat. Most of the time, children can stay there until they are seven years old or they meet the recommended manufacturer’s details as listed per every car seat.
Booster Seats
As far as booster seats, these are usually for older infants or children that are taller or weigh more. It’s recommended that you switch your child to a booster seat at the age of 7 until they are either 12 years of age or they meet the recommended height and weight to move to the front seat.
Even if your kiddos want to move to the front, keep them strapped in the back as long as you can, as it’s one of the safest ways to travel.
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Children and Safety Belts
When you strap your kids in for a trip, they usually are buckled in with the straps from the seat you’re using. When they get older and get into a booster seat or start sitting in a regular seat, they will start to use a normal safety belt. The age at which safety belts start to become safe is around 8 years old, though it just depends on your child’s build.
Before strapping your child into a safety belt, always check that the seat belt wraps around them correctly and that they are sitting in a comfortable and safe position in the seat of your car. Plus, try to keep them out of the front seat until they are at least 13 years old, avoiding any dangers that could come from an impact with the airbag.
Your kiddos are probably itching to make it to the front seat, seeing it as a sign of growing up but, whatever you do, don’t move them up too quickly and urge them to stay in a safe position as long as they can so that they avoid getting seriously hurt.
Fitting Stations
If you have questions about your car seat, and are wondering whether or not you have the right set up for your child, there are a few places that you can go to check it out. When you visit a fitting station, knowledgeable individuals will help you find the correct seating arrangement and make sure that your child is strapped in safely and sitting in a seat that meets their needs.
Some popular fitting stations include police stations, fire stations, and even some hospitals, each of them having some kind of help to get your set upright. You can also check out a site like the Children’s Hospital, which has a ton of suggestions about how you can get all the information you need about proper seating and setup.
Before You Setup, Register
The State of Illinois, like many states, urges parents to register their car seats with the NHTSA. This offers a huge advantage to parents, letting them know if there are any recalls or faulty parts on their children’s car seats. With everyone working together, children will be safer on the road and parents can rest assured that their children are safely strapped in, no matter where they go.
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Know the Laws and Follow
Before you take off with your kids, you need to know the car seat laws. While a lot of them don’t offer specific information about age, many of the manufacturers of car seats do. As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your kid is strapped up correctly, and you could face fines otherwise.
Instead of dealing with fines, it’s better to know your rights. On top of that, you’ll feel safer knowing that your little one is strapped in and safe when you hit the road. The state of Illinois, like many other states, has a set of laws but it’s up to you to understand how to use them for you and your child.
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