Car seat regulations in the USA

Taxi with car seat

The child safety seats for infants and children vary according to different states and territories of the nation. However, the laws related to child car seats also depend on the age, height and weight requirements of the child. As a rule, it is mandatory for infants to be seated in rear-facing infant seats, toddlers to use forward-facing child safety seats; and it is compulsory for older children to use booster seats.

In case of non-compliance to the state's child passenger safety laws, one may be fined from $10 to $500. A driver's license points may also be used as an additional penalty. All the child safety rules are applicable on taxi drivers as well. In only two states, New York city and Las Vegas, taxi drivers are exempt from the car seat laws.

It is to be considered by the private car owners and the taxi drivers that booster seats and other child restraint systems are mandatory to be used in 48 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The only two states of the USA where booster seats for children are not compulsory are Florida and South Dakota. In California, New Jersey and Oklahoma, it is must for children below 2 years of age to be seated in a rear facing child seat. Apart from this, in 5 states, California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York, seat belt laws for children are compulsory to be followed in buses as well.