Research from Children`s Hospital of Philadelphia found that using booster seat belts reduces the risk of injury in children ages 4 to 8 by 45 percent compared to using a seat belt alone. And before following Maryland`s laws regarding car seats and booster seats. Maryland law requires that you follow the manufacturer`s instructions in the event of an accident. There are no laws that would make it mandatory to replace car seats in the event of an accident. If a child exceeds the height and weight of the rear-facing seat, you can do so forward-facing. It should be noted that the forward-facing seat is a step backwards in terms of safety. The second reason why children behave better in the back seat of a vehicle during an accident is that the safety features installed in cars are designed for adults to protect passengers in the event of a collision. It is easier for parents to interact with their children in forward-facing car seats and get them in and out of them. However, forward-facing car seats offer less protection for the infant`s head, neck and spine than rear-facing seats, according to most research. Maryland`s child safety law does not prohibit children from driving in the front seat, except for a child in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat with an active airbag. If a driver cannot turn off an airbag, it is a violation of the law (as well as a danger to the child!) to put a child in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat.
Booster seats are not reserved for toddlers. In order to be properly restrained when driving in the car, most children between the ages of 4 and around 10 or 12 should use a booster seat. To determine if your child is ready to use adult seat belts, make sure that: The child restraint system must be appropriate for the child`s height, age and weight. Child seats include booster seats, child seats, convertible seats, forward-facing seats or any other safety device approved for use by children in motor vehicles. However, Maryland states that using a rear-facing car seat in a seat with an airbag is a violation of the law. Parents should read the owner`s manual for their forward-facing car seat to determine maximum height and weight limits, and keep their children in an attached seat for as long as possible, says AAA. If you`re traveling to Maryland, be sure to bring one of these passenger car seats. If you`re planning a family outing, consider one of these comfortable convertible car seats or comfortable booster seats.
Check other car seat laws by state when planning your route. Here`s some good news: On average, Marylanders use more seat belts than the national average! While it is legal for Maryland children to sit in the front seat at any age, children under 4`9″ have a higher risk of injury from a regular seat belt than those 4`9″ and older, and studies have shown that airbags pose a risk to children under 13 in the event of a collision. There are no pending proposals to strengthen MD`s car seat laws. The projected head injuries were most severe when the car seat was attached to the lower “LATCH” anchorages of the vehicle seat relative to the seat belts. Experts say a rear-facing seat is safer because it distributes the force of an impact throughout a child`s body. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that a child should ride in a rear-facing child seat until age 2 or until they reach the maximum height and weight for the rear-facing child seat in their updated 2011 recommendations. Currently, taxis are exempt from the law. You don`t have to carry children with car seats. However, KISS recommends that you follow Maryland`s Child Passenger Safety Act when your children board these vehicles.
In Maryland, all drivers and passengers are required by law to wear seat belts, whether they are in the back or front of a car. Passengers over the age of 16 must also be restrained in the back seat. Booster seats are mounted on the rear seats of cars, SUVs or trucks. They are intended for children who have passed car seats. Maryland`s booster seat laws require at least one seat for all children under the age of 8, unless a child is taller than 4 feet and 9 inches. Most children do not fit properly into an adult seat belt until they are 10-12 years old, when they pass the 5-step test. The Maryland Department of Health recommends that babies and toddlers drive backwards for as long as possible. A child should be in a rear-facing seat until the maximum weight or height of the seat is reached.
A typical baby seat (transport seat) can be used up to 22 pounds – although some new child seats have weight limits of 30 to 35 pounds. Once a child grows out of the child seat, a rear-facing convertible seat should be used. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing up to 30 to 45 pounds. Always check the owner`s manual or car seat labels for specific weight and size restrictions. 0-7 years: Any child aged 0 to 7 years less than 4 feet and 9 inches tall must be secured in a child seat. If a child is under 8 years of age but at least 4 feet and 9 inches tall, they must be attached to a child seat or seat belt. The state`s seat belt laws for drivers, front passengers, and rear passengers under the age of 16 are primary laws. A primary law means that a police officer can stop you if you are caught violating the Seat Belt Act or if one of your passengers in the back seat is under 16 years of age and not wearing a seat belt. Specifically, the center rear seat is the safest place in a vehicle for a child.
Your child is a precious cargo. Sadly, many children are injured and killed on the streets of Maryland every year. In some cases, parents may not have complied with car seat requirements and violate Maryland`s booster seat laws. In addition to the mandatory child seat laws mentioned above, a child under the age of 16 must be restrained in a child seat or seat belt. Maryland Transportation Section 22-412.2(e) states, subject to this law, that “a person shall not carry a child under 16 years of age” unless the child is restrained in: Assembling a child seat can be difficult and frustrating, especially for parents of newborns. Baer recommends that parents hire an expert to check that the seats are mounted correctly. Most police or fire departments have a qualified expert who can check how a seat is assembled free of charge. Let`s face it, finding the right place and using it properly can be very difficult.