How tall do you have to be to ride in the passenger seat in a car?

Answer 1

Myquestion is how tall do you have to be to not have to sit in a car seat.

I thought thatyou had to be 4.9 to not have a car seat or way 80 poundsto not have a car seat. that was my thought.

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Okay, here's what the American Academy of Pediatrics says: http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

The type of seat your child needs depends on several things including your child's size and the type of vehicle you have. To be sure your child is using the most appropriate seat, read on.

Type of Seat General Guideline

• All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.
• Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing.
• School-aged children should stay in a booster seat until adult belts fit correctly (usually when a child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age).
• Older children who have outgrown their booster seats should ride in a lap and shoulder belt in the back seat until 13 years of age

And here's what the California DMV says:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/seatbelts.htm#safetybelts

CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND SAFETY SEATS

Any child under the age of six weighing less than 60 pounds must be secured in a federally approved child passenger restraint system and ride in the back seat of a vehicle.

A child under the age of six weighing less than 60 pounds may ride in the front seat of a vehicle when:

• There is no rear seat or the rear seats are either side-facing jump seats or rear-facing seats.
• The child passenger restraint system cannot be installed properly in the rear seat.
• All rear seats are already occupied by children under the age of 12 years.
• A medical reason requires the child to ride in the front seat.

A child may not ride in the front seat of an airbag-equipped vehicle if the child:

• Is under one year of age.
• Weighs less than 20 pounds.
• Is riding in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system.

Children ages six and older, but less than 16, and children under age six who weigh more than 60 pounds, must be properly secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint system or safety belt which meets federal safety standards.

Lastly, California Highway Patrol's website says:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/child_safetyseat_faqs.html

California's New Child Passenger Safety Law

California Law will requires children to ride in the back seat in a properly secured child passenger safety restraint until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the law revised?
Children are at greater risk when riding in the front seat. A child's injury risk is reduced by 33% when moved from the front seat to the back seat. Are there exemptions?
Yes, there are a few. Your child may ride in the front seat if:

• Your vehicle has no rear seats.
• Rear seats are side-facing jump seats.
  Child safety restraints must never be placed on side-facing vehicle seats.
• The child restraint system cannot be properly installed in the rear seat.
  For example, your vehicle has lap belts only in the back seat, but there are lap and shoulder belts in the front seat. Your child is 5 and weighs 45 pounds and must ride in a booster seat. The booster seat must be used with a lap and shoulder belt; therefore your child may ride in the front seat.
• Children under age 12 occupy all rear seats.
• Medical reason (written by the pediatrician) requires that child not be restrained in the back seat. All children are safer in the back seat, ask another adult to ride with the child in the back.