Know Your Seatbelt and Car Seat Laws

By Idy Perl

Before you sit into the car to make the drive up to the Catskills, or to take any road trip with the family, make sure you’re familiar with the laws surrounding seatbelts and car seats for kids. 

• NY State requires all passengers above the age of 8 to always wear seat belts, regardless of their seating position. 

• Up until the age of 2 babies are required to ride in a rear-facing car seat. 

• Between 2-4 years, they must sit in a regular, front facing car seat. 

• Children over 4 who outgrow car seats but are not yet big enough to properly use the seat belt by itself should sit in a booster seat with a seatbelt, or some other harness system to ensure they’re safely buckled up. 

The statistics to support seatbelts is overwhelming. In 2022, approximately 50% of passengers killed in car accidents weren’t buckled. Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of fatal injury by roughly 50%, depending on the type of vehicle. 

Many don’t know this, but air bags are designed to work together with seat belts. If the passenger isn’t buckled, an air bag can actually cause harm.  

So strap in the kids, buckle up, and have a safe drive!