Passenger Safety Tip Card

A crash can happen any time–even if you are a good driver. It is important to use the right type of restraint based upon your child's age and size. As your child ages, follow these four steps–one step at a time–to keep your child safe in the car.

Step 1. Rear-Facing Child Seats

Keep your infant in a rearfacing child safety seat in the back seat as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, babies should ride rear-facing until at least age 1 and 20 pounds.

Step 2. Forward-Facing Child Seats

Use a forward-facing child safety seat from a minimum of age 1 and 20 pounds until your child reaches the upper weight or height limit of the child safety seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

Step 3. Booster Seats

Use a booster seat for children age four and older who are over 40 pounds and under 4 feet 9 inches tall.

Step 4. Safety Belts

Use a lap and shoulder belt when the seat belts fit properly, usually at 80-100 pounds and at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. The lap belt should be low and snug across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt should lie across the middle of the chest and shoulder. Children should also be tall enough to comfortably bend their knees over the edge of the back seat with their back against the vehicle seat without slouching. Keep children in the back seat until age 13.

Important!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 8 out of every 10 child safety seats are not used correctly. Always read and follow your car owner's manual and the manufacturer's instructions for your child safety seat when using and installing your child safety seat.

Other Safety Tips

  1. Restrain your child on every trip. Most crashes occur at low speeds and close to home.
  2. The best seat fits your child's size, is correctly installed and is used properly every time.
  3. Weigh and measure your child often to make sure the right type of restraint is being used.
  4. Set a good example for your child. Buckle up!

Need help?

A certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician can check your child safety seat and answer questions about child passenger safety. To find a CPS technician or child safety seat fitting station in your area, go to www.safeny.ny.gov

For more information about child passenger safety, go to

For information about New York State's Occupant Restraint Law, go to www.safeny.ny.gov

Funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with a grant from the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee