According to the Louisiana child passenger safety law, infants must be in a rear-facing infant car seat until they are at least two years old. The child must remain rear-facing until they meet the age, height and weight requirements set by the manufacturer of the car seat.
The appropriate car seat must be purchased to abide by the law. Infant car seats will typically come with the base, which fits into the car itself, and the infant carrier, which is snapped into place on the base. Convertible car seats can also be used; rear-facing for young infants and then forward-facing as the child grows.
Louisiana car seat laws require that all infants riding in the back of a vehicle must be in a rear-facing car seat. Putting an infant facing forward can cause severe head and neck injuries during an accident.
Another benefit of rear-facing car seats is that they’re much safer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that children under the age of two are seventy-eight percent more likely to die or be severely injured when in a forward-facing car seat than if they were rear-facing.
Louisiana Rear Facing Car Seat Law
Louisiana car seat laws require that all infants riding in the back of a vehicle must be in a rear-facing car seat. You can buy different car seats for your infant, but they all need to face the back of the vehicle. Putting an infant facing forward can cause severe head and neck injuries during an accident.
Another benefit of rear-facing car seats is that they’re much safer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that children under the age of two are seventy-eight percent more likely to die or be severely injured when in a forward-facing car seat than if they were rear-facing.
With all of that information, Louisiana decided to make it law for infants to ride facing the vehicle’s back until they reach the car seat manufactures limits to be forward-facing. That age is usually at least three years old, and it’s the first step to moving your child from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing one with a five-point harness.
If you have a convertible car seat, you can safely change your child over when they reach the manufacturer recommended rear-facing weight limit.
Louisiana Booster Seat Law
Children must be at least four years of age and have outgrown their five-point harness forward-facing car seat weight and height limits to use a booster seat.
When children outgrow their five-point harness forward-facing car seats, they should ride in a booster seat until they reach that specific booster seat’s height or weight limit.
Switching from a five-point harness car seat to a booster seat is easy if you have a 3-in-1 or all-in-one seat with a high-back booster combo. The car seats remain the same, but you remove the five-point harness and add either a lap or shoulder belt, depending on your child’s size and weight.
After a high-back booster, children can sit in a belt-positioning booster seat until they’re big enough for the vehicle’s seat belt to fit them correctly. In Louisiana, children must be at least nine years old or have outgrown their booster seat requirements to use a regular seat belt without a booster.
What Are The Height And Weight Requirements For A Booster Seat?
Louisiana does not have specific weight and height requirements. They rely on the manufacturer’s recommendations for a booster’s weight and height limits. As long as your child is under the manufacturer’s recommendations, they can use a booster seat.
There is no specific weight requirement in Louisiana for kids over the age of thirteen to ride in the front seat. Most experts recommend that kids be at least 80 pounds if they ride in the front seat.
Does My Child Need a Car Seat in Uber or a Taxi?
A parent or caregiver that wants to ride in Uber or a taxi should get an appropriate car seat for the child as recommended by
The parent is responsible for transporting their child in an approved car seat when in a taxi-service type vehicle. Not doing so can result in an Uber being unable to provide a ride to your desired destination or attract a fine for not complying with child safety laws.
Uber may give the option of ordering a car seat when you request a ride using the Uber App.
Lap-Shoulder Seat Belt Law
Louisiana ‘s Lap Shoulder Seat Belt Law mandates that any child who is at least 9 years of age and passes the 5-step law must use the lap-shoulder seat belt installed by the vehicle manufacturer.
Five-Step Law
The five-step law is used to determine if a 9-year old can move out of the booster seat and use the lap-shoulder belt installed by the vehicle manufacturer. To determine if the child passes this 5-step law, have them sit directly on the seat with the seat belt on. Look for the following points.
- The seat belt fits correctly when the child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat.
- The child’s knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat.
- The belt fits snugly across the child’s thighs and lower hips.
- The belt does not fall across the child’s abdomen.
- The shoulder strap fits snugly across the center of the chest and not across the child’s neck.
When Can a Child Switch To Forward Facing?
When you’re child is ready to switch from a forward-facing car seat to a booster, it is crucial that they at least be four years of age.
You will also want to look at their current seat’s weight and height limits. If your child does not exceed these limits, they are still required to utilize their forward-facing car seat.
Penalties for Not Following the Law
If you get pulled over for violating child safety laws, you will most likely be issued a ticket. Accompanying this ticket will be a fine in the following amounts:
- 1st offense = $100
- 2nd offense = $250-500
- 3rd offense = $500 + court costs
- Further offenses = $500 + court costs
You will have 30-days to provide proof that you have purchased the appropriate seat if you receive a citation. If a child is hurt or killed in a wreck because they were not restrained properly, the driver could face more legal action if they are at fault.
Enforcement of car seat laws in Louisiana
The police are saddled with the responsibility to enforce the violations of all the car seat laws and guidelines in Louisiana. Efforts are put in the ground for drivers to come for an inspection of the child safety seat to ensure it complies with the law and is installed according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
When Can a Child Sit In The Front?
Louisiana car seat laws require that children be restrained in the backseat of a vehicle until they are at least fourteen years old.
How Much Does A Kid Have To Weigh To Sit In The Front Seat In Louisiana?
There is not currently a specific weight requirement in Louisiana for kids over the age of thirteen to ride in the front seat. Most experts recommend that kids be at least 80 pounds if they ride in the front seat.
Conclusion
There are several places to purchase good brands of children’s car seat in Louisiana. You should always have the proper one installed in your vehicle when traveling with children below 13 years. Fines for not having correct restraints in place can be steep.
- The best advice for purchasing a new seat is to ensure your child meets the manufacturer’s requirements and is comfortable in the seat.
- You should always follow the Louisiana car seat law regardless of whether you live in Louisiana or you’re traveling through.
These laws are designed to protect your little ones and ensure their safety. Not following local laws could result in sanctions against your driver’s license, hefty fines, and even jail terms.
