New child passenger laws going into effect August 1: What you need to know

Starting Aug. 1 , new guidance on child seats, booster seats and seat belts will go into effect in Minnesota, changing the rules regarding how children ride in a vehicle.

Every driver who has children under age 18 in a vehicle must have them in a child safety seat or restrained by a seat belt. The law also specifies ages for rear and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts, and raises the age requirement for booster seats from 8 to 9 years old.

Before the law change, the state required car seats to be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions on height and weight.

The updated age guidelines:

– Birth to at least 2 years old:

• Rear-facing car seat in an infant or convertible child safety seat.

– At least 2 years old AND has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight :

• Forward-facing car seat with an internal harness.

– 4 years old AND has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height and weight:

• Ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.

– 9 years old or has outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly:

• Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat.

There are some exceptions for children who fall into one or more category, and they must be placed in the safer restraint for them. For example, if a child is two-and-ahalf years old and weighs 35 pounds, but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds, they must stay rear-facing even though they are over two.

Additionally to these new guidelines, children under 13 must sit in the back seat if possible. The new law is based on "best practice" and compliments the American Academy of Pediatrics child seat recommendations.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says that crashes are a leading cause of injury and death among children. Between 2019 to 2023, of the 12,827 children involved in crashes who were properly restrained, 89% were not injured.

Of the 81 children who were seriously injured in motor vehicles, only 44% were known to be properly secured.