FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about the Vermont Child Restraint Law

Which child safety seat is "the best" for my child?
The "best" safety seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and fits your family's needs in terms of comfort and convenience, so that you'll use it on every single ride.

What does the law mean by an approved child restraint?
A child restraint is a crash tested safety device that is designed for infants and children to protect them in a motor vehicle crash. All approved child restraints meet Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 213. Child restraints are commonly referred to as car seats and booster seats.

Why is facing rearward so important?
Babies have heavy heads and fragile necks. The neck bones are soft, and the ligaments are stretchy. If the baby is facing forward in a frontal crash (the most common and most severe type of crash), the body is held back by the straps, but the head is not. The head is thrust forward, stretching the neck. Older children and adults wearing safety belts may end up with temporary neck injuries. But a baby's neck bones are soft and actually separate during a crash, and the spinal cord can tear. It's like yanking an electrical plug out of a socket by the cord and breaking the wires. In contrast, when a baby rides facing rearward, the whole body--head, neck, and torso--is cradled by the back of the safety seat in a frontal crash. Facing rearward also protects the baby better in other types of crashes, particularly side impacts. In a crash, an infant's spinal cord may stretch if she is riding facing forward, and the baby could die or be paralyzed for life. This is true even for babies who have strong neck muscles and good head control. Do not use an infant-only seat if your baby's weight is over the maximum (20-22 pounds) or if her head is within an inch of the top edge of the seat.  A convertible seat can be used so the baby or toddler can continue to face the rear up to 30 – 35 pounds. (Check the owner’s manual to be sure of the weight range).    

When can I turn my baby/toddler around to face forward in the car?
Turn your child around when he/she is at least one year old and weighs at least 20 – 22 pounds.  Riding longer facing the rear is safer for babies and toddlers. (Swedish children ride rear-facing until at least three years old in safety seats made to fit larger children.  When the child reaches the maximum rear facing range you can turn the seat to face the front.

How long should I keep my child in a forward facing seat with a harness?
Keep your child in a forward facing seat until at least 40 pounds and 40 inches.  Children who are very large may not be ready to move into booster seats at a young age and may need to be harnessed until they mature.  Look for seats that can be harnessed up 50 – 60 – 85 or even 100 pounds.  Labels on the seat and in the instructions will tell you the upper weight limits.

What are the basic guidelines for proper safety seat use?

  • Straps should be threaded through the slots at or below the child's shoulders on a rear-facing safety seat and through the top strap slots in most forward-facing convertible seats. Straps should be at or above the child's shoulders in seats that only face forward, such as combination seats.
  • The harness should be comfortable but tight enough that the webbing cannot be pinched between your fingers.
  • The top of the harness retainer clip should be at armpit level.
  • Put any blankets or coats on top of the harness.
  • Restrain children in the rear seat, especially if the vehicle has a passenger air bag. Never put a rear-facing safety seat in front of a passenger air bag.
  • Install the safety seat so that it moves no more than an inch to the front or sideways in the vehicle.  Check the car’s owner manual and the car set instructions for proper installation of the belts or LATCH.
  • Use a top tether with forward-facing safety seats, attached to a designated tether anchor. This can reduce the forward-motion of the child's head in a crash by several crucial inches.

When is my child ready for a booster seat?
At around 4 years old and 40 pounds and 40 inches a child will be ready for a booster seat. 

How do I properly place my child in a booster seat?
Place the booster in the back seat of the vehicle equipped with a lap AND a shoulder belt. When your child sits in the booster seat, his/her hips should be flat against the back of the seat and if he is using a high-back booster seat, his/her shoulders must also be flat against the seat back. The lap belt should be across the top of the thighs, at the joint of the legs, and the shoulder belt should fit across the center of the shoulder and the child's chest. If needed, thread the shoulder belt through the "guide" on the side of the seat to move the belt away from the face or throat. To prevent whiplash, it is important that the top of his/her ears is not higher than the booster seat or the vehicle seat back.

What's the difference between high-back and no-back booster seats?
High-back booster seats have a back that protects your child against whiplash in cars with low seat backs. They can be used in cars with or without headrests on the vehicle seats.
No-back or backless booster seats work in the same way as high-back booster seats but no-back booster seats must be used with vehicle seats that have headrests. To protect against whiplash, the headrest should be above your child's ears when he/she is sitting in the booster seat.
Both types of seats are effective at protecting children in car crashes. Remember, the lap and shoulder seat belt must be used with both types of seats.

My car has no shoulder belts in the back seat. Can I put my child in the front seat?
Safety professionals recommend that children under 13 years old ride in the back seat of the vehicle because it is safer for them. Most crashes occur to the front of the car. If you do not have shoulder belts in the back seat of your vehicle, try one of the following options:

  • Purchase and install a shoulder belt retrofit kit if one is available from the manufacturer of your vehicle. Retrofitting a shoulder belt will offer the best protection not only to booster seat age children, but also to anyone who might ride in that seating position. Not all vehicles can be retrofitted and the parts and service departments of many dealerships may not be aware that parts are available. Call the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-DASH-2-DOT to learn more.
  • EZ-On manufactures the Y-Harness and EZ-On Vest. Children weighing more than 40 pounds can these products in vehicles with a lap-only belt. Crash tested, each meets federal motor vehicle safety standards and offers upper body protection. Visit their web site at www.ezonpro.com
  • Some car seats can accommodate a car without shoulder belts until a child weighs up to 100 pounds. Check with car seat manufacturers for information.
  • If your front seat does NOT have an airbag, allow the child to use the front passenger seating position by the door, and use a booster seat to position the lap and shoulder seat belt. Since it is safest for children to ride in the back seat, use a booster seat in the front only if necessary. The front seat should be pushed back as far as possible to keep the child away from the dashboard. And, NEVER put a child in the front seat if it has an active air bag.

When my child turns 8, how can I tell if she/he is big enough to use the vehicle belt without a booster?
Try the 5 Step Test with your child. If he answers no to any these questions, your child still needs to ride in a booster seat.
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

What can happen if my child uses an adult seat belt too soon?
Vehicle seats and seat belts are designed for adult-sized bodies that are at least 4'9" tall and about 80 - 100 pounds. When you put your child in a seat belt too soon the following can happen:

  • The lap belt can ride up above the pelvis (hip bone) onto the abdomen, or
    tummy. When this happens, the internal organs can be damaged in a crash. This is called "seat belt syndrome". In some cases, the spinal cord can be damaged and the child can become paralyzed.
  • The shoulder belt crosses the face and neck and can bother the child. Because of this, children sometimes place the shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm. This leaves him with no protection for the upper body. In a crash, this can cause broken ribs and internal organ injuries. It also causes head injuries, a very serious concern as the brain is the organ least likely to recover from injury.

Booster seats protect against serious injury three and one half times better than seat belts. Booster seats protect against head injury four times better than seat belts.

How much do booster seats cost?
The price of a booster seat varies, but the retail price typically ranges from $15-$125. You may visit the American Academy of Pediatrics' "2003 Family Shopping Guide to Car Seats". The cost of a booster seat is far less than the cost of a visit to the doctor or the emergency room.

Where can I buy a booster seat?
Booster seats can be purchased at most discount chain stores and children's specialty stores. Web sites that specialize in baby products and catalogs also carry booster seats. Vermont Fitting Stations offer seats at a discounted price but you must bring your child with you to make a purchase.  For information about Fitting Station locations go here or call 1-888-VMT-SEAT.

My child is under 8 years old and weighs 110 lbs. He is very short and the shoulder belt does not fit properly across the chest. What can I do?
An EZON Y-86 Harness will provide protection for the child until he/she is tall enough for the shoulder belt to fit properly. Check at www.ezonpro.com for information.

I have a child with special medical needs. Where can I learn more about the special protection needs of my child?
Parents, health care providers and others can learn more about protecting children with special needs by calling 1-888-VMT-SEAT for help. There is a shopping guide listing special needs car seats for children at the American Academy of Pediatrics website www.aap.org/family/specialcarseatschart.doc.  

Can I buckle two children into one seat belt?
No, two people should never use one vehicle seat belt! In a crash, two people sharing one seat belt will collide violently. Buckling two persons into one seat belt could cause serious injury or even death and it is against the law.

What about seat belt adjusters? Can they be used in place of a car seat?
No. Regardless of how these products are labeled, they do not meet any government safety standard. They may help with shoulder belt comfort, but may put too much slack in the shoulder belt or cause the lap belt to ride up over the stomach.

I have a question about car seats/booster seats that is not answered here. Where can I go to get more information?
The Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program has a toll free hotline which answers questions about choosing and using child car seats; car seat recalls, and safety seat technician locations. In Vermont, call 1-888-VMT-SEAT (868-7328) or go here.