Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Data shows that each day, an average of five children are killed and nearly 600 are injured in vehicle accidents across the country. More than half of the children who die in these crashes were not properly restrained by child safety seats or seat belts.
According to Ohio’s Child Passenger Safety Laws, parents and caregivers must follow specific requirements to keep young passengers safe. Infants and young children are required to ride in a child safety seat until they reach four years old and weigh at least 40 pounds. Children between ages four and eight who have outgrown their car seats must use a booster seat until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall. Those aged eight to fifteen must use adult seat belts if not in booster seats.
Experts advise that children should ride in the backseat until at least age thirteen. When installing a child safety seat, it is important to read both the car seat instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual. The correct belt path or lower anchors should be used, and once installed, the car seat should not move more than one inch side-to-side or toward the front of the car. Harness straps need to fit snugly around the child, with no slack, and retainer clips should be positioned level with the armpits.
Parents are also encouraged to replace any child safety seat that shows signs of damage or has passed its expiration date.
For rear-facing car seats, Ohio law requires babies and young children to use them until they turn four years old and weigh more than 40 pounds. For optimal protection, infants and toddlers should stay rear-facing until at least two years old or until reaching their convertible car seat’s maximum height or weight limit.
Children who outgrow rear-facing seats can switch to forward-facing models but must remain harnessed until reaching that seat’s weight or height limit—typically between 40-65 pounds.
Booster seats become appropriate when a child turns four years old and weighs at least 40 pounds; by law, booster usage continues until age eight or a height of 4 feet 9 inches is reached. Both high-back and backless boosters are available; manufacturer guidelines will help determine which type fits best.
Most children can transition from booster seats to lap-and-shoulder belts once they reach about 4 feet 9 inches tall. State law requires all children under age fifteen be secured by an appropriate restraint system on every trip.
Further information on these recommendations is available from Nationwide Children's.
