When Can a Child Sit in the Front Seat in California

Following child car seat and safety restraint laws and guidelines is the best way to protect your child from risks associated with accidents. Proper use of car seats and appropriate positions can reduce the risk of crash injuries.

To answer the question “When can a child sit in the front seat”, according to California Vehicle Code 27360, all children aged eight years and younger must ride in the back seat of a motor vehicle while secured in a proper child restraint system. Children must also remain in rear-facing car seats until they weigh 40 pounds or more or are at least 40 inches tall.

Familiarize yourself with California child safety seat laws and guidelines for enhanced protection during car accidents.

Consult a trusted Los Angeles car accident attorney if you or your child were injured in a car accident in California and someone else was at fault.

California’s Child Passenger Safety Laws

Different laws apply to each type of restraint system, particularly regarding the child’s weight, height, and age.

Rear-Facing Car Seat Laws

California car seat laws state that children aged 2 years and younger, including infants, must be in the rear compartment in a rear-facing back seat. They must also remain in rear-facing seats until they are at least forty pounds or forty inches tall.

Parents or guardians must use the rear-facing car seat in compliance with manufacturer instructions.

Forward Facing Car Seat

A child using a rear-facing car seat can transfer to a forward-facing car seat when all the following aspects are true:

• The child is above 2 years
• The child weighs at least forty pounds
• The child’s height is at least forty inches

Booster Car Seats

You should keep your child in a rear-facing or back-facing car seat as long as possible. Booster seats are recommended until a child is at least 4’9″. When your child is too big for the weight and height limits of a forward-facing car seat, use a belt-positioning booster seat with a lap and shoulder seat belt. Booster seats enhance the position of the child, so the seat belt is in the right position.

Children 8 years or older or at least 4’9” no longer require a booster seat but should remain in the back seat and use a safety belt.

Best Practices for Child Passenger Safety

You can sometimes mitigate the impact of a car accident by using an appropriate car seat in the right way.

Here are tips for child passenger safety:

• Rear-facing seats are safer than forward-facing seats; use rear-facing seats as long as possible
• Use a booster seat until the child no longer slouches or plays with the seat belt
• Install a properly fitting car seat that brings the best possible protection for your child
• Do not install an expired car seat or base
• Let a child safety technician install or check the car seat
• Avoid distracted driving habits like texting and driving

What Type of Seat Should I Use in California?

Here are four types of car seats you can use in California:

• Rear-facing car seat: There are four types of rear-facing car seats, including infant, convertible, and all-in-one models.
• Forward-facing car seat
• Booster seats: Examples of booster seats include high-black booster seats, backless booster seats, combination seats, and all-in-one seats.
• Seat belt which should lie across upper thighs and snug across the shoulder and chest

Contact a California Car Accident Lawyer

It can be costly and stressful when your child sustains an injury in a car accident. You may face medical bills and other losses, including their pain and suffering. The Barnes Firm Injury Attorneys have over 500 combined years of experience, which gives us a competitive edge when representing you.

Contact us online or at (800) 800-0000 for a free case evaluation.

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