Oklahoma child passenger safety laws are designed to help prevent injury and death to children involved in a motor vehicle accident. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13.
Choosing the right car seat for your child’s height, weight, and age and using that seat correctly help protect your child from serious injury or worse. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly forty-six percent of the time.
Correct installation is vital to your child’s safety. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and county health departments offer free car seat installation checks to help ensure you have properly installed your seat.
The Back Seat Is Safest For Children
In all cases, children are safest sitting in the back seat of a vehicle when traveling. In an Oklahoma City car crash, front-end impacts are the most common causes of injury. Having children further away from the impact helps keep them safer.
Placing children in the back seat also helps keep them from being injured by an airbag deployment and any broken windshield glass. Additionally, infant car seats are not designed for use in the front seat and may not properly function during an accident when placed there.
The car seat laws in effect in Oklahoma are based on CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. Both of these organizations recommend that children remain in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible.
There is no specific Oklahoma law for the age at which a child may legally ride in the front seat. However, most vehicle manufacturers recommend children remain in the back seat until at least age thirteen.
If it is necessary for a child to ride in the front passenger seat, the seat should be pushed back as far as possible from the front dash. However, a rear-facing infant seat should never be placed in a front seat with an active airbag.
Child Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
In Oklahoma children must be properly secured in a car seat or booster seat depending on their height and weight.
Infants and children under two years old must be in a rear-facing car seat. They should remain in a rear-facing seat until age two or until their height and weight exceed the limits of that seat.
From ages two to four, children must be properly secured in a car seat with a five-point harness.
Oklahoma law requires children four to eight years old to be in a car seat or booster seat unless they are more than four feet, nine inches tall. Booster seats must be used until a child can fit into a seat belt properly.
Children who are more than eight years old or are taller than four feet nine inches must wear a seat belt.
Every time you place your child in a car seat, you should ensure they are properly restrained. One of the most common mistakes parents make is not fastening the straps tightly enough. Your child should be comfortable but securely fastened into the seat.
Remember, car seats are not meant to last forever. They have expiration dates and should be replaced when expired or damaged. It is also important to regularly check the fit of the car seat as your child grows.
Penalties For Breaking Child Safety Laws In Oklahoma
If you fail to abide by these Oklahoma child seat safety laws, you may face legal consequences.
Adults breaking the child safety laws in Oklahoma may be fined $50 for a first offense and ordered to pay court costs.
Additionally, you could have points added to your driving record and could face criminal charges for repeat violations.
If you have been charged with a child safety law violation, or have additional questions about Oklahoma’s child safety laws, contact us today.