Nebraska State car seat laws are made to ensure the safety of every child passenger in a moving car in the state. According to NSC ninety-four percent (94%) of caregivers and parents in Nebraska use car seats; however, eighty-five percent (85%) install the car seats incorrectly, which is not safe for the children.
To ensure the safety of your children while on the road in Nebraska, it’s crucial to follow the state’s car seat laws and guidelines for children between one to nineteen.
In the rest of this article, I will break down in detail all the car seats law in the great state of Nebraska and provide information on the various types of car seats, the age and weight requirements for each type of seat, and the penalties for violating Nebraska’s car seat laws.
An Overview of Nebraska Car Seat Laws
Every child must ride properly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt. If you are a resident of the state, a tourist, or passerby it is essential for you to not just get yourself acquainted with the car seat laws, but ensure strict adherence for the safety of your loved ones.
Nebraska Rear-Facing Car Seat Law
Children from newborn to 2 years of age need to be in an infant car seat or rear-facing car seat until their second birthday or they reach the upper weight or height limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. The car seat must provide support for the head, neck, and spine.
If your child reaches the limitations set by the car seat manufacturer before they turn two, they can move into a forward-facing car seat. On their second birthday, a child can move into a forward-facing car seat regardless of weight and height. But it is recommended to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Also, the car seat must be in the back seat, as long as there is a seat belt available and the back seat is not occupied by other children under eight years old. Nebraska car seat law prohibits the use of child safety seats in the front of a vehicle equipped with an airbag.
Nebraska Forward-Facing Car Seat Law
Children 2 years to 8 years must ride correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat or booster seat. They must be in a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness until they out-grow the manufacturer’s recommendations or they are eight years old.
The law provides that a forward-facing car seat must be placed in the back seat and ensure that the seat is placed far from an airbag if there is any.
Nebraska Booster seat Requirement and Law
When a child is four to eight years or 40 to 80 pounds, a booster seat properly secured in the back seat can be used. Ensure the upper body and head of the children are properly supported. They must ride in the rear seat if there is a safety belt available and as long as there are no other children in the back seat under the age of eight.
Proper installation is essential, as one of the major causes of injury or even death is improper placement and installation of a car seat. You can seek help from a Car safety technician.
Seat Belt Laws
Children 8 to 18 must use a safety belt or a booster seat. They are prohibited from riding in the cargo area of the vehicle. Therefore, they are not allowed to ride in the back of a pickup van.
When children can sit in the front seat in Nebraska
In Nebraska children below the age of eight years are to be in a rear seat in the back seat, however, where the back seat is occupied by other younger children or there is no other seat belt in the back seat, they can be properly restrained in the appropriate car seat in the front seat. Children old enough to use the car seat belt can also seat in the front seat, that is children between 12- 18years. Take note of the following:
- The seat should be moved far away from the airbag.
- Deactivate the airbag.
Penalties for Not Following the Law
If you violate the Nebraska Child Restraint Law, you will get a $25 fine, court cost, and one point off your license. This may not seem like much, but repeated offences and the loss of multiple points from your license can lead to the loss of your license and higher insurance rates.
Car seat laws and Taxi Requirements
Taxis are not required to provide a car seat. However, if you need to hire a taxi, you will need to either order one with a car seat or provide your own. Children riding in taxis fall under the law: Every child must ride correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat, booster chair, or seat belt.
Uber Policy
Uber gives you the option of ordering a car seat when you request an Uber ride using their app. Ensure you have a car seat to use for your child if there is non by the Uber rider.
Lyft Policy
Lyft requires you to provide the appropriate car seat needed for your child.
Child Passenger Safety Technician Course
Nebraska offers a child passenger safety technician course. This course is helpful for parents, law enforcement, nurses, school bus drivers, community health educators, daycare providers, and anyone else that works with child safety laws and seats.
Nebraska Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations and Car Seat Check Events
The state gives every driver access to a car safety technician at Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations and events, the safety technicians are to evaluate the safety of all the children who ride in the vehicle to ensure the citizen’s strict adherence. They will check the following:
- Is the seat installed correctly?
- Is the car seat the correct type and size for the child?
- Is the child correctly secured in the seat?
- Are there any recalls for that particular seat?
The importance of the center and events is to train and ensure the car seat laws are not violated.
Car Seat Laws and Auto insurance policy in Nebraska
In Nebraska, the law did not specifically address the issue of car seat claims after a crash. However, the law generally recommends the change of a car seat after a crash, except in minor crashes.
After a crash, the caregiver or parents are expected to dispose of the car seat according to the law. As such, car seats being part of the damaged property can be replaced during the insurance claim by the driver as one of the damaged properties during the crash.
Final Thoughts
Nebraska Child Safety Laws states that categorically all drivers, parents and caregiver need to know to keep kids safe in a moving car. Nebraska car seat laws address the appropriate car seat to use for a child based on age and height.
It is also necessary to understand the vehicle instructions regarding installing child safety seats. Drivers in Nebraska can benefit significantly from the Nebraska Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations and Car Seat Check Events.
