Many kids can’t wait to sit in the front seat of a car. They see it as a rite of passage and proof that they’re growing up. However, the back seat is often the safest place for a kid.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,053 children 14 years old and younger died in traffic accidents in the United States in one recent year. Another 183,000 children were injured in motor vehicle accidents the same year. One way to potentially minimize injuries to your child in case of a car accident is to comply with Florida’s car seat laws.
Florida’s Car Seat Laws
The NHTSA reports that child car seats can significantly reduce the risk of death or injury in a car accident. According to the NHTSA, child safety seats reduce the risk for infants by up to 71% and for toddlers by 54%.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles summarizes state child seat laws as follows:
- Children 0 to 5: All children five and under must be properly secured in a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device.
- Children 0 to 3: Children up to 3 years old must be in a child restraint device of a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat.
- Children 4 and 5: Children four to five must be in a separate carrier, integrated child seat, or booster seat.
- Children under 18: All children under 18 must use a seat belt. Seat belts are also required for all drivers and front-seat passengers, regardless of age.
Failing to comply with these requirements could subject you to a fine and put your child in danger in case of an accident.
Florida’s Front Seat Age Limits
Florida doesn’t have a law that specifically states the minimum age for a child to ride in the front seat of a car.
Recommendations for Front Seat Riding
Even though Florida doesn’t have a law specifying when a child can ride in the front seat, parents should try to delay it until their children are teenagers. Riding in the front seat can be dangerous for children because front airbags are designed with an adult passenger in mind. A deployed airbag can harm child passengers due to their size and weight. The force of these devices has been known to kill children.
Additionally, the front seat is not designed for children, while the back seats are. Back seats include other features to provide maximum protection to children in the event of a crash, taking into account their physical development and specific needs. For example, modern cars often provide anchor points for car seats in the back seats. Front seats do not have the anchor points to secure car seats safely.
For these reasons, most car manufacturers do not recommend children riding in the front seat until they are 13 or older. Children under 4-foot-9 should not sit in the front seat since airbags and seatbelts can be dangerous for passengers below this height.
Following Florida car seat laws and car manufacturer recommendations might help protect your child in the event of a car accident. If your child was injured in a car accident in Florida, call a Miami personal injury attorney today for a free consultation.
Contact the Miami Car Accident Law Firm of Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys for Help Today
For more information, please contact the experienced Miami car accident lawyers at our firm today. We offer free consultations.
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Miami Personal Injury Law Firm – Miami Office
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