The top priority of any caregiver or parent is the safety of your child. Florida has child car seat regulations drivers are required to abide by all the time, whether you’re driving on Florida roads or live in the state. Read on to learn more about Florida car seat laws and proper car seat safety in Florida.
Florida Car Seat Laws
Florida traffic statutes 316.613 stipulate specific guidelines all drivers are required to follow when transporting a child. In Florida, the car seat law is dictated by age. Certain states go by the child’s height and weight, but in Florida it is solely dictated by weight. Even if your child is big for their age, they may still require a car seat. Until they turn four, children require a full car seat that is either built into the car or separate from the car that is federally approved and passed crash tests. Children aged four to five can use either a full car seat or a booster seat, either integrated into the car by the manufacturer or a separate mechanism. These need to be federally-approved and safety-tested. After your child graduates from a car seat, they must wear a seatbelt.
Exceptions To Florida Child Seat Safety Statutes
There are certain exceptions in Florida law section 361.613:
- If your child has a medical condition exempting them from riding in a car seat, the car seat law doesn’t apply. You need to have the appropriate documentation from a licensed medical professional officiating the exemption. If you get pulled over, you must present this information to law enforcement.
- If you transport another person’s child without getting paid, the Florida booster seat laws don’t apply, since the car seat law only applies to children you are legally responsible for.
- If you are giving somebody else’s child, who is older than four, a ride, then they don’t need to be in a booster seat. Children under three still require a full car seat, no matter who is driving them.
Specific Things About Florida Car Seat Law
The car seat laws in Florida are not as stringent as the car seat laws in some states, and they don’t all meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Association safety recommendations. The NHTSA establishes child car seat regulations through the child’s size and age, and recommends a full car seat until the age of four, while Florida only requires a full car seat until the age of three.
The NHTSA also recommends booster seats for children between the ages of eight and twelve, sometimes longer. Your child shouldn’t transition into a booster seat until they can wear a seat belt properly, and you may decide to go with NHTSA recommendations for safety reasons. However, Florida law does say that your child isn’t legally to wear a booster seat after the age of six and only has to use the car’s seat belt.
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According to Florida car seat laws, your children must ride in a federally-approved car seat until age six. Car seats help keep children safe in the case of an accent. While Florida car seat laws aren’t as strict as other states, it’s important to follow them to protect your child. Sunlife Pediatric Network is a top pediatric clinic in Pembroke Pines. Call Sunlife Pediatric Network today for your pediatric needs!