For families in Lexington, KY, understanding Kentucky’s child car seat laws is essential for legal compliance. More importantly, car seat laws support child safety when riding in automobiles. Kentucky law mandates specific requirements based on the child’s age, height, and weight to ensure proper restraint while riding in a vehicle. Contact a car accident attorney if you need legal advice.
According to Kentucky child car seat laws, the following rules apply for the use of seat belts, child restraint systems, and child booster seats based on the child’s age and/or size:
Requirements for Children up to 40 Inches Tall
Children who are 40 inches tall or shorter must be secured in a federally approved child safety seat. The statute does not specify the type of child restraint system.
Requirements for Children Under 8 Years Old and Between 40 and 57 Inches Tall
Children meeting these criteria must use a booster seat that correctly positions the vehicle’s seat belt on the child’s body. Booster seats ensure the lap belt fits low across the hips and the shoulder belt fits across the chest.
Requirements for Children Taller Than 57 Inches
A child of any age who is taller than 57 inches may use the adult seat belt without a booster seat. The seat belt should fit properly to provide effective protection. A proper fit means the lap belt rests across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt crosses the center of the shoulder and chest.
Types of Child Safety Seats in Kentucky
Kentucky’s child car seat laws do not specify the type of car seat to use for a child beyond requiring the car seat to meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. However, the NHTSA makes the following car seat recommendations for children:
Rear-Facing Car Seats
It is safest for children to ride in rear-facing car seats until they reach the car seat manufacturer’s maximum weight or height limit for rear-facing car seats. Children should use rear-facing car seats from birth until they are at least 12 months old. Ideally, a child can ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 to 3 years old.
Forward-Facing Car Seats
Children between four and seven years old should ride in a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness. Parents should check the manufacturer’s height and weight restrictions to determine when to transition a child to a booster seat.
Booster Seats
Booster seats can be used for children who outgrow a forward-facing car seat. As with other child restraint systems, it is safest to use a booster seat until a child is tall enough for a seat belt to fit correctly over their lap and chest.
Penalties for Violating Kentucky Car Seat Laws
Violations of child restraint laws include fines up to $50 for failures to use child safety seats and $30 for booster seat violations. Kentucky law applies to all drivers transporting children, including parents, babysitters, and caretakers. Everyone must comply with car seat laws regardless of their relationship to a child.
Protecting Your Child from Injuries Caused by Car Accidents in Lexington, KY
By following the laws and best practices for child safety seats, parents and caregivers in Lexington can significantly reduce the risk of injury or death resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Studies have shown that the use of child safety seats reduces fatal injury risk by 71% for infants under one year and 54% for children ages one through four.
However, proper installation of the car seat is critical. For safe and correct installation, parents can find certified child passenger safety technicians in Kentucky via the NHTSA inspection location finder. You can also contact SAFE KIDS Fayette County or your local fire station, police department, or health department to ask about certified child passenger safety technicians.
What Should I Do if My Child Is Injured in a Lexington Car Accident?
Car accidents can cause severe and life-threatening injuries for children. Call 911 to report a car crash and seek immediate medical treatment for your child. Children may be unable to report injury symptoms, so prompt medical attention is the best way to protect children after a car crash.
Your child may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, pain, and suffering. If another driver caused the crash, your child may have a personal injury claim against that person. They may receive compensation for economic and non-economic damages.
Car accidents can result in injuries that cause developmental, cognitive, emotional, and physical impairments. A medical professional can assess your child’s injuries and develop a treatment plan to minimize the impact of the injuries.
Contact Our Lexington Car Accident Lawyer at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Child injury claims can be challenging. Parents need to focus on their children’s health and well-being. Yet, they also need to do what is in the child’s best interest for legal claims.
A Kentucky personal injury lawyer can help. Call Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers at (859) 413-3900 for a free case evaluation with a Lexington car accident lawyer to discuss legal options for your child.
