Car seat laws in FL?

Question

When can a child sit forward facing? I know the weight limit is 20 lbs, but it seemed like someone told me they have to also be a year old. (which seems weird to me, who cares how old they are as long as they are the right weight and length?)

Answer 1

Regardless of the law - it is SAFETY that matters! The 'limit' is not 20lbs, not since the 80's. The limit for rear facing on all current convertible car seats is 30lbs, some 33lbs, some 35lbs. It has long since stopped being only 20lbs, for good reason. And which stage of car seat a child should be in depends upon weight, height, AND age, not just one of the three.

Babies should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life! American Academy of Pediatrics says to keep kids rear facing to the limit of their convertible car seat. All current models go to at least 30lbs, many higher.

A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.

In the age of the internet its amazing so much misinformation exists! Please please do not listen to people telling you to turn your child forward facing 'at your judgement' or when her legs touch the seat. In truth, most children LIKE resting their feet on the back of the seat in front of them. Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum... It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child?

As for the law in Florida, it is not very concerned about its children's safety, there is no specific mandate regarding when a child can legally turn forward facing. Only that a child 0-3 must be in a car seat, and 3-5 can be in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt.  In fact, babies should be rear facing as long as possible, then forward facing as long as possible (most convertibles only go to 40lbs, but there are some that go to 50lbs, 55lbs, 65lbs, even 80lbs!) and then in a booster seat until they are both 80lbs AND 4'9" tall, usually using a booster until they are 8-10 years old.

However, I urge you, the law shouldn't be the minimum you follow for your child.

Answer 2

CHILD CAR SEAT RULES

1. BEFORE YOUR FIRST BIRTHDAY LESS THAN 20 POUNDS REAR-FACING INFANT-ONLY CAR SEAT OR CONVERTIBLE SEAT USED IN REAR-FACING POSITION, SECURED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

2. 20–35 POUNDS CONVERTIBLE SEAT USED IN REAR-FACING POSITION, SECURED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. LOOK FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT THAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR HEAVIER INFANTS.

3. WHEN YOU ARE 1, 2, 3, AND 4 20–40 POUNDS FACE FORWARD IN A CONVERTIBLE SEAT OR A FORWARD-FACING-ONLY SEAT OR HIGH-BACK BOOSTER/HARNESS IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

4. WHEN YOU ARE 4, 5, 6, 7, OR 8 LESS THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEAT (NO BACK) OR HIGH-BACK BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

5. WHEN YOU ARE 8, 9, 10, 11, OR 12 MORE THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL MAY USE AN ADULT SEATBELT, BUT MUST KEEP YOUR BACK AGAINST THE SEAT BACK, YOUR KNEES BENT OVER THE EDGE OF THE SEAT, AND YOUR FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.

6. WHEN YOU ARE MORE THAN 12 YEARS OLD MORE THAN 4’9” (57 INCHES) TALL MAY SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR WITH AN ADULT SEATBELT.

Answer 3

it's not weight and years old, it's weight OR years old

Answer 4

Children must be rearfacing until AT LEAST 12months and 20lbs.  Their bones don't fuse together until they are 2-6 years old and crash forces will injure or kill a child who is forward facing too soon.

The recommendation from safety experts and the American Academy of Pediatrics is to rearface (RF) to the limits of the seat which is 30-35lbs on all seats sold in the US. My own daughter is rode RF until she was almost three and she reached 33 lbs which is the weight limit on her Britax Marathons. I wish she could still be RF, she was so much safer.

I have included several links with great pictures and videos of what happens to childrens necks when they are FF in a crash.

Most people are concerned about their child's legs being scrunched or broken in a crash. There is absolutely no evidence that shows a child's legs are in danger and I would much rather deal with a broken leg, than a broken neck.

Answer 5

No one's going to stop you and check the kid's birth certificate to enforce a stupid law...  When the child is big enough, then he can sit facing forward.

Answer 6

dont follow years, follow weight and height, according to the car seat manufacturer. i am sure i had my daughter facing forward earlier than 1 year, but it has been 6 years so i dont remember specifically.