The number of car accidents has severely increased in the last few years among kids in the USA, especially for ages 3-13. Hence, the booster seat laws were introduced in Georgia, also known as GA booster seat laws.
According to GA law, any youngsters below the age of eight who are shorter than 57 inches must travel in the backseat of the vehicle in a booster seat that is appropriate for their size and body weight.
So, if you have a young kid below the age of 8 and want to know more about GA laws, this guide is for you. This guide will discuss everything you need to know about GA booster seat laws and more.
Overview Of GA Booster Seat Laws?
Now, we will take a quick look at what exactly GA booster laws are. Down below, we will discuss a complete overview of booster seat laws.
According to Georgia Booster seat laws, a child under the age of 8 can only sit in the backseat. However, if they wish to sit at the front, they must use a booster seat.
Booster Seat
When a kid weighs minimum lbs, they can switch from a front-facing car seat to a booster seat in Georgia. Additionally, it varies on the child’s age too.
For Children 4-8+ years old
Almost all car makers and authorities advise kids to ride in booster seats first from when they are 4-5 years old until they are 4’9 tall. Even before the age of eight, a kid can begin to use a booster seat if they have grown too big to use a forward-facing seat.
From Age 1-3 years old
All youngsters under the age of eight and those under 4 feet 9 inches must ride in the rear seat. However, if your infant weighs less than 20 pounds, the law states that you have to use a rear-facing seat.
On the other side, you should use a forward-facing seat for children who weigh less than 40 pounds.
Why Are Booster Seats Necessary?
There are many reasons why Georgia authorities have implemented booster seats for your child’s safety. Let us look into a few of the reasons why booster seats are necessary.
Car Seat Belts are big for children
Without a booster seat, children under the height of 1.5 m who cannot be restrained by a seatbelt only have a three times greater risk of crashing. However, the rate of accidents for kids in booster seats is substantially lower.
Seat Belts can cause physical exhaustion
Rather than crossing lower over the laps, the seat belt climbs up freely across the stomach. When a youngster lurches to bow her knees over the car seat, the lap belt fits less comfortably. Your kids may experience physical exhaustion and pain as a result of them.
Proper Safety
The shoulder belt is too close to the child’s neck, which contains the spinal cord and major arteries. Additionally, the lap belt is placed across the organ-filled area of their stomachs. Therefore, having your youngster wear a safety belt is not a good idea, and you must use a booster seat for proper safety.
Read Also: How to Carry a Car Seat Easily and Safely?
What Are The Age And Weight Requirements For Booster Seats In Georgia?
Safety Method | Age (years) | Weight and height | Position |
Infant Seat | Less than 1 | 20-35 pounds | Rear-facing |
Booster seat | 4-8+ | 40-80 pounds or less than 4’9” inch tall | Must have lap and shoulder safety belts |
Safety Belt | 8+ | Taller than 4’9” | |
Toddler seat | 1-3 | 20-40 lbs | Rear-facing, but if the child is over 20 pounds you can go for a Forward facing seat. |
The GA booster seat laws have a series of safety guidelines for child safety. All these guidelines vary according to the child’s age and weight.
Rear Facing Seats
Always place your youngster in a rear-facing car seat if they are under 1-year-old. This is significant since doing so will safeguard their neck in the event of an accident. Use a rear-facing seat until the infant becomes two years old. Infant seats are the ideal choice for rear-facing seats.
Booster Seats
A booster seat that is suitable for their height and weight is required for children between the ages of 4 and 8 until they reach 4’9”. According to the law, you must continue using a booster seat for your children until a seat belt fits them correctly.
Toddler seats
You must use a toddler seat for children ages 1-3. However, you must use a rear-facing car seat until your child reaches the maximum length or mass permitted by your car seat’s manufacturer.
Usually, you may put a child in a forward-facing seat after they are older than one year and weigh more than 20 pounds.
Read Also: How to Convert Graco car seat to Booster?
Are There Any Exceptions To The GA Booster Seat Law?
Yes, there are a few exceptions to the GA booster seat law. Do keep in mind that these exceptions are not always acceptable tho.
No Booster seats are needed for children above 57 inches
Children under the age of eight who are shorter than 57 inches are required by law to utilize a booster seat. However, children under the age of eight who measure above 57 inches do not need a booster seat.
Children under 57 inches must use booster seats
Another exception is children who are above 8 years and are still below 57 inches in height must keep using a booster seat until they fully reach the required size to use a standard seat with a seatbelt.
No booster seats are required for children with health problems
The kid has a health problem that precludes legal restraint, according to a documented declaration from a doctor that the child’s parent or guardian has.
Children can seat at the front if all rear seats are booked
If all suitable back-sitting slots are taken through other kids, and there isn’t a back seat in the vehicle that can safely confine a kid. This is when children under 8 can sit in the front seat but must be secured appropriately using safety belts.
Conclusion
A booster seat is important for the proper safety of your children since it is hard to secure kids in regular car seat belts. If you live in Georgia, then knowing these booster seat laws is essential, as you can be in serious trouble if you do not follow these laws.
Child safety is one of the most essential things for any parent when traveling with kids in a car. Hence, today in this guide, we wrote about everything you need to know about GA booster seat laws.
To avoid any trouble, make sure to read and follow these guides properly before you decide to go out driving with your children in Georgia.