How old must a child be to sit in a car’s front seat? Does MS restrict by age or weight?

While Mississippi doesn’t have any specific laws about when a child can sit in the front seat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children should remain in the back until age 13.

There are no laws concerning where the child sits as long as they are restrained, but Mississippi’s guidelines are not really as straightforward as they seems.

Age is not the only factor

In addition to age, there are also some height and weight restrictions parents must understand. All children weighing less than 40 pounds and shorter than 57 inches must be restrained in a car seat or booster in the back seat.

Further federal guidelines include :

Children 40 pounds and over:

• Can sit in the front seat if there is no back seat available.

• They are still required to be in a car seat or booster seat appropriate for their age and height.

• If the vehicle does not have a back seat or if all back seats are occupied by other children, the child may sit in the front seat.

• All children under the age of 8 and shorter than 57 inches must be secured in a car seat or booster appropriate for their age.

Children over 57 inches:

• If the child is under 40 pounds they still need to sit in the back seat in a proper seat or booster.

• Regardless of height or weight, children under 8 years of age must sit in the back.

The rules are slightly different for vehicles other than cars.

Motorcycles:

• Mississippi laws require all motorcycle passengers, including children, to wear a helmet .

• There is no specific minimum age for children on motorcycles however, the child must be able to sit securely. This is often interpreted to mean the child should be large enough to touch the footrests and hold on to the driver.

Pickup trucks:

• There is no law in Mississippi that prohibits children from riding in the front of a truck, as long as they are properly restrained.

• Children are strictly forbidden to ride in the bed of a truck .

If you have any further questions about car safety for children, you can contact Safe Kids Mississippi or the Mississippi Department of Health .

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