What age/weight must a child be to safely/legally travel without a car seat?
by 
Scottythinks
ANSWERS: 5
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In most (if not all) states the law says 4 years or 40 lbs. I recently heard that this might be changed to 6 years or 60 lbs to increase safety for the children. The best rule of thumb is if the child fits in a safety seat or booster seat to use it until they are too big. Adult seatbelts do not properly fit children.
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Actually, the current guidelines from the National Highway Transporation and Safety Association state that a child should be in a car seat or booster seat until age 8 or reach 4'9" in height. Check out NHTSA.org for a breakdown on which child needs which seat.
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its actually 80 pounds OR 4'9". Before this the child does not fit correctly, and in an accident they can be thrown from the car or decapitated. Seat belts also fail more often than the harness in a harnessed booster seat (such as the Britax Regent.) so it is best to have your child in a harnessed booster as long as possible.
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4'9" in Louisiana.
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The law in California is "6 years old or 60lbs", but does that mean one-or-the-other or both? Example, if my 9 yr old is only 55 lbs, does he need to be in a car seat? He is over 6 yrs but not over 60 lbs. Or since he is over 6 yrs old, he is ok. I am not asking about what's best, because i will keep him in until he grows out, i am asking about the actual law. Some clarification, please! Thanks!!!
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