Pennsylvania Car Seat Laws: Everything You Need To Know


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Philadelphia at night

Photo by Heidi Kaden on Unsplash

Car accidents happen every day. You can never be too careful when you step behind the wheel and you should take as many precautions as you can, especially if you have kiddos in the car. Keeping up with Pennsylvania car seat laws and checking out the manufacturer’s recommendations for car seats, you can take steps to keep your child safe as you travel through town or on the highways. 

Pennsylvania Car Seat Laws

Pennsylvania law states that any child under the age of four needs to be in a seat and buckled in properly. While that holds true in almost all cases, there are some specifics that you want to keep your eyes open for. Even if your child is four or older, they may not meet the height or weight recommendations to keep them safe. 

Parents should check out car seat laws and consider the manufacturer’s recommendations on their car seat before switching their children from seats or positions in the car. 

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Seating Arrangements for Children 

There are several seating arrangements for children, changing depending on the type of seat you have and the place within your car that you put them. The safest arrangement is to have your child in a car seat and put it in a rear-facing manner. You’ll likely use this method when your children are very young but, they don’t stay little forever, and you’ll have to adjust as they grow older to keep them safe. 

Rear-Facing Seats

As mentioned above, rear-facing seats are said to be the safest, helping parents keep their kiddos fastened in and ready to go from the time they are newborn and on. 

The recommended age is from newborn to two years old but, parents still need to check both the height and weight requirements on their car seat. As a reference, it’s usually recommended to see in a rear-facing seat from 30 pounds, down, only moving if the child fits properly with straps attached.  

Front-Facing Seats  

According to the laws in Pennsylvania car seat laws, children should switch over to a car seat facing the front from two up to four years of age. Thet will still need to stay in the rear of the car, staying in the safest spot for as long as possible. 

While parents are encouraged to keep their kids in the rear seat for as long as possible, they can consider facing them toward the front when they reach up to 40 pounds. There may also be height requirements with the seat, so always be sure to check. 

Booster Seats 

Once your child reaches the age of four, they can usually move into a booster seat. You can keep them in this seat up to eight years old or as long as they meet both the height and weight requirements. 

For a booster seat, you want to make sure that your child is less than 57 inches in height, making sure that they fit properly so they can buckle up safe without the risk of hurting their neck or shoulders.  

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Front Seat 

It’s well known that children are safest in the rear seat. The age where you can start to change is around 13, where you can allow your child to sit in the front as long as they meet both weight and height requirements. 

Make sure that your child is more than 57 inches and make sure to test them with the seatbelt. You want it to fall in the right place and avoid wrapping around their neck. 

Regular Seatbelts for Children  

When switching from a booster seat into the actual chair, you want to make sure that you check that the seatbelt fits around your child properly and that they can maintain a proper position in their seat. That means that they have their back straight against the seat and their legs hang off too. 

Make sure the seatbelt fits securely around their waist and front, avoiding wrapping around their neck. 

Other Laws Concerning Children in the Vehicle 

Apart from Pennsylvania car seat laws, there are a few other laws that parents and guardians should be aware of. In Pennsylvania, watch for: 

  1. Leaving children unattended. It’s illegal to leave children six and under in a car. 
  2. Smoking. Though this is not illegal, it’s recommended not to smoke with children in the car to avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. 
  3. Taxis have to follow the law. In some states, Taxis and Ubers are exempt from the laws of other drivers. However, in Pennsylvania, drivers will still have to keep children strapped in accordance with the Pennsylvania Occupant Protection Laws. 

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Getting Help With Your Seat

It’s not always easy to set up a car seat and is something that all parents might need help with a time or two. To make sure that you have all of the straps set up correctly and that your child is in the most protected position possible, you can take your car, the seat, and your kiddo to a few locations, including: 

Keep Your Kiddos Safe and Obey the Laws 

Like in many other states, the laws are not always the best thing to look at. Parents should also consider the height and weight of their children, making sure they fit properly in the seats that they have. In addition, parents should take care to properly set up car seats and check that they have their children strapped in correctly before they take off down the road. 

There are a lot of accidents out there and parents should take all the precautions to make sure their kids are as safe as they can be. Though kids may beg to get in the front, let them know that they have to be big and strong first so they stay healthy and grow up to drive just like you.

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