The Changes In Florida Seat Belt Law For Kids

With the intention of keeping children safe while on Florida roads, certain laws had to be modified in the Florida Seat Belt Law for children. For instance, children had to be confined in a booster seat until they turn six so as to ensure that they are kept safe at all times.

The new laws also state that a child has to be at least 4 feet 9 inches and over 80 pounds in order to use the adult seat. The booster seats allow the seat belts to fit the children across the chest so that they are secured in the event of an accident.

The only time a child between the ages of 4-5 can ride without a booster seat is when they are being driven by someone who isn’t their parents or when in an emergency. But even so, the proper precautions need to be taken so as to keep the child safe. 

A one-year-old child (at least 10lbs) needs to use a rear-facing car seat for safety purposes. Children between 1-4 years old can have the chair switched so that they can face forward. 

This should be the case until they are well over 12 years and have the required weight limits before they can use the car chair without the booster seat. According to the Florida Seat Belt Law, the booster seat must be federally approved before allowing your child to seat in it.

The Reasons for the January 2015 Amendments to the Florida Seat Belt Law for A Child

Florida seat belt law for children has been known to be very lenient explaining why many people took them for granted. Since taking such important laws for granted can be a matter of life and death, it felt it was about time to make the necessary changes.

When having your child in the car, they should be in the back seat, and every parent has to follow the FLHSMV guidelines while driving. Breaking any of the above stated Florida seat belt law for children comes with its consequences.

Consequences for Breaking the Florida Seat Belt Law for Children

The Florida's seat belt law was enacted and modified by January of 2015 in order to make the entire Florida motorist’s safe on the roads. That means that breaking the law will lead to consequences since it not only endangers the driver’s life but the lives of the passengers as well as that of other motorists.

While carrying a child and not fully following the FLHSMV guidelines is considered as child endangerment and will lead to a $60 fine as well as 3 points against your driver’s license.

It is, therefore, a good move to follow the law because it not only keeps you from the fines but also keeps your child safe. But when all is said and done, any smart parent who has their child’s best interest at heart will not have to wait for the law to catch up with them before making the necessary changes.