Anyone in Illinois who has a child needs to be aware of the new car seat law set to take affect Jan. 1, 2019.
The Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act will require all children under the age of eight to be in a car seat when riding in a car with their parents. Here’s a quick summary of what the new act will require of Illinois parents starting next year:
- Any child under the age of two needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh over 40 pounds or are over 40 inches tall.
- Children between the ages of 2-4 can transition to a front-facing car seat at the parent’s discretion. It’s recommended your child stays in a rear-facing seat until they grow out of it.
- Between the ages of 4-8, a child can transition to the booster seat and out of the traditional car seat. The seat manufacturer has guidelines for height and weight limits for your child.
- After age 8, once a child has met the proper height-weight requirements provided by the car seat manufacturer they can sit in the car with a traditional seatbelt.
Find out more information on the Illinois Secretary of State Website here: https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/childsafety.html