Maryland’s child passenger safety laws are comprehensive and updated compared to other states. The last major update, effective October 1, 2022, requires children under 2 to be restrained in rear-facing seats. The law applies to all vehicles and requires children under 16 to be secured in a child safety seat or a seat belt, depending on their age and height.
Children under 8 years old and 4 feet 9″ must travel in a child safety seat. Maryland’s specific laws regulate child safety seats to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a collision. Understanding these laws helps protect children.
Children younger than age 8 must be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster unless they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall or taller. If passengers older than 16 are not, they must face the rear of the vehicle until age two or weight limit. Under 8 years old must ride in a car seat or booster seat, used according to car seat and vehicle manufacturers’ instructions, unless the child is 4 feet, 9 inches or taller. Between 8 and 16 years old must be secured in a car seat, booster seat, or vehicle seat belt.
As of October 1, 2003, Maryland’s Child Passenger Safety Law required all children younger than six years old, regardless of weight, or who weigh 40 pounds or less, regardless of age, to be secured in a federally approved child safety seat. Children are safest if they stay rear-facing until they reach the rear-facing weight limit of their convertible or all-in-one type of car seat.
Meanwhile, Maryland booster seat laws require a seat at the very minimum for all children under 8 years old unless a child is over 4 feet, 9 inches tall. Understanding these laws helps protect children and ensures a safer driving experience for all.
📹 Maryland’s New Rear-Facing Car Seat Law to Take Effect | NBC4 Washington
Maryland is getting ready to enact a new law that says children must ride in rear-facing car seats until they are 2 years old.
How to get a free car seat in Maryland?
Maryland Kids in Safety Seats (MD KISS) provides free in-person and virtual assistance to children in Maryland. The Child Passenger Safety and Occupant Protection Health Care Project (CPS and OP Health Care Project) is part of the EMS for Children program, funded by the Maryland Highway Safety Office and federal funds. The project aims to promote best practice child passenger safety and occupant protection education and discharge policies for Maryland hospitals and healthcare professionals.
The project offers free resources, including CPS training, webinars, youth occupant protection education, hospital policy and discharge procedures guidelines, posters, and assistance for children with special health care needs. For more information, contact cps@miemss. org or call 706-8647.
What are the car seat laws in Maryland?
Maryland’s Child Passenger Safety Law, effective October 1, 2022, mandates that children under eight years old must ride in an appropriate child safety seat according to vehicle and child restraint instructions, unless they are 4’9″ or taller. Children must ride rear-facing until at least age two. Every child from 8 to 16 years old who is not secured in a child restraint must be secured in the vehicle’s seat belt in every seating position.
The law applies to in-state and out-of-state vehicles and requires drivers to ensure all occupants under 16 are correctly buckled up. If a child needs a car seat, they can contact KISS at 800-370-SEAT for a referral to a local Car Seat Assistance Program, which may have varying availability and inventory.
What are the child seat laws in Maryland?
Maryland’s Child Passenger Safety Law, effective October 1, 2022, mandates that children under eight years old must ride in an appropriate child safety seat according to vehicle and child restraint instructions, unless they are 4’9″ or taller. Children must ride rear-facing until at least age two. Every child from 8 to 16 years old who is not secured in a child restraint must be secured in the vehicle’s seat belt in every seating position.
The law applies to in-state and out-of-state vehicles and requires drivers to ensure all occupants under 16 are correctly buckled up. If a child needs a car seat, they can contact KISS at 800-370-SEAT for a referral to a local Car Seat Assistance Program, which may have varying availability and inventory.
What are the booster seat laws in Maryland 2024?
The legislation in Maryland requires that children under the age of eight must utilize child safety seats unless they exceed 4’9″ in height. Additionally, children between the ages of eight and 16 who do not utilize child safety seats must utilize seat belts.
When did seatbelts become a law in Maryland?
Maryland, a primary front-seat seatbelt enforcing state since 1986, will expand the age of adult passengers required to be secured by a seatbelt to as young as 16 years old. This means that everyone riding in a car will have to be secured with a seatbelt. However, the new law makes seatbelt violations for passengers seated in the back seat a secondary violation, only enforceable when the driver is detained for a suspected violation of another law.
Penalties associated with seat belt and child safety seat violations will increase from $25 to $50. The bill also removes the “floater exemption” that allowed a driver to transport more children in a vehicle than the number of proper securing locations.
Does my child need a seat?
The law mandates that children under 15 years old must be securely placed in a federally approved child passenger restraint system. Children under 6 years old and less than 60 pounds must also use an appropriate child safety restraint. A comprehensive list of state car seat laws is available, reviewed annually and updated as changes occur. This information is helpful for travelers traveling to different states, as car seat laws can be confusing.
Some websites may simplify the language and use “booster seat” for “booster aged” children, while the law likely requires a “child restraint system”. The list aims to keep the legalese simple and easy to understand.
Does everyone have to wear a seatbelt in Maryland?
In accordance with Maryland legislation, all passengers are required to wear seatbelts. Law enforcement officials are thus empowered to issue citations to drivers and passengers who are not complying with this regulation.
What is the height and weight for a booster seat in Maryland?
It is recommended that children weighing between 60 and 80 pounds, with the ability to bend their legs over the seat, and approximately four feet, six inches in height, utilize a booster seat to ensure an optimal fit of the vehicle lap and shoulder belts.
When can my child ride without a booster seat in Maryland?
The legal requirement for the use of booster seats for children up to the age of six is in place. However, it is recommended that children should continue to use booster seats until they reach the age of eight, at which point lap and shoulder belts will fit properly.
How much is a ticket for a child without a car seat in Maryland?
Maryland’s law mandates all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts, with passengers over 16 facing a $83 ticket for each offense. Children under 8 must be in an appropriate booster or child safety seat unless they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall or taller. A new law, effective in October 2022, requires transporting a child under 2 in a rear-facing child safety seat until the child reaches the manufacturer’s weight or height limit. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend rear-facing seating for children for optimal safety in crashes.
Officials encourage parents, grandparents, guardians, and other family members to use the right car seat for each child’s age and weight, and to receive in-person and virtual checks to teach proper use.
What age does a child start to seat?
At 4 months, a baby can hold their head steady without support, and at 6 months, they begin to sit with some help. At 9 months, they sit well without support but may require assistance. At 12 months, they can sit without help. Tummy time helps strengthen upper body and neck muscles needed for sitting. Encourage sitting by helping or supporting with pillows around 6 months. Babies start rolling over as early as 4 months old, rocking from side to side or tummy to back.
At 6 months, babies roll over in both directions. It’s common for babies to roll over from tummy to back for a month or two before rolling over from back to front. To encourage rolling over, place your baby on a blanket with a toy or book near them.
📹 Child Car Seat Laws Maryland 2022 | Car Seat Safety Laws
Under car seat laws Maryland 2022, it is obligatory for parents to harness their children in the car seats properly until they are less …
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