Did you know that there are new laws in New Jersey regarding car seats? While it’s certainly a step forward to reduce the risk of injury for children, parents must still be aware of the rules and regulations. here is what you need to know about the new jersey car seat law.
- New Jersey Car Seat Laws
- Types of restraint systems for infant and young kids in New Jersey
- New Jersey Rear-facing Car Seat Law
- New Jersey Forward-facing Car Seat Law
- New Jersey booster seat law for young kids
- Requirements for children to use the front seat in New Jersey
- Taxi Car Seat Law in New Jersey
- New Jersey car seat replacement law after Accident
- Law on leaving a child in a car in New Jersey
- Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Car Seat Laws
- When Can My Child Sit in the Front Seat in New Jersey?
- Is it Illegal to Smoke in a Car with a Child in New Jersey?
- Car Seat Inspections Help in New Jersey
- Child passenger safety related videos New Jersey
- More information and resources
- USA Child Passenger Safety Laws by State
- Best Car Seats of 2022: Ranked by Our Experts
New Jersey Car Seat Laws
According to the New Jersey Car Seat Safety Law,
Except as provided in P.L.1983, c.128 (C.39:3-76.2a et al.) for children under eight years of age and weighing less than 80 pounds, all passengers under eight years of age and weighing more than 80 pounds, and all passengers who are at least eight years of age but less than 18 years of age, and each driver and front-seat passenger of a passenger automobile operated on a street or highway in this State shall wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system as defined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 209.
Types of restraint systems for infant and young kids in New Jersey
There are 3 types of restraints systems in New Jersey for kids.
- Rear-facing car seats
- Forward-facing car seats
- Booster seats
New Jersey Rear-facing Car Seat Law
According to NJ car seat law, children under the age of two years and 30 pounds are required to be restrained in a rear-facing seat with a 5-point harness.
You may begin by using an infant-only seat, which is ideal for newborns, and then transition to a convertible seat as your kid gets older. Convertibles allow you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period since they have a higher weight limit (up to 40 pounds). Make sure the harness straps are correctly fastened according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The seat should be firmly seated in the back seat so that there is no more than 1 inch of movement.
New Jersey Forward-facing Car Seat Law
Children less than 4 years old weighing under 40 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing seat until they reach the manufacturer’s maximum height and weight requirements, at which point they may move to a forward-facing seat with a 5-point harness installed in the back of the vehicle.
New Jersey booster seat law for young kids
According to the new jersey car seat law, after the kid has surpassed the upper limit of the forward-facing seat, they will ride in a booster seat. You may continue to use the forward-facing seat after 4 years of age until your child is ready to sit in a booster seat. The law stipulates that the booster seat must be used until the child reaches 8 years old and is 57 inches tall.
Types of booster seats:
- High-back booster seats – If your car’s seat back is lower than your child’s ears, you have to use a high-back booster seat to protect your child’s head and neck.
- Backless booster seats – If your car’s seat back is higher than your child’s ears, you can use a backless booster seat.
Requirements for children to use the front seat in New Jersey
There is no mention of the age in the law about when a child can sit in the front seat in New Jersey. The FCDCP – the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – advises parents that their children should remain in the back seats until they are twelve years old. Other experts, on the other hand, claim that kids shouldn’t sit in the front vehicle seat until they’re thirteen years old. The bottom line is that you should make your kids stay in the back for as long as possible, and you should instruct them that they will be safer and better protected if they do.
Taxi Car Seat Law in New Jersey
New Jersey taxi drivers must follow safety rules. They need to provide car seats for children of different ages and development. The government officials made this decision with the help of the safety representatives.
They did this after what happened in Hackettstown, where a 14-month-old girl was not in an appropriate car seat. She had a head injury and went to the hospital. To avoid these circumstances and to ensure that children are safe, the New Jersey state legislators proposed a car seat safety rule for taxi companies.
New Jersey car seat replacement law after Accident
New Jersey has no specific legislation on replacing a car seat after an accident. If you are involved in a collision and your vehicle’s airbags have deployed, the NHTSA strongly advises that you replace your car seats to assure the same level of protection for kid passengers. Minor accidents do not necessitate that car seats be replaced automatically.
Law on leaving a child in a car in New Jersey
There is no such thing as a law that dictates leaving children alone in cars. However, a new Jersey court of appeals judge ruled that allowing a kid to remain unsupervised in a vehicle is negligence or child abuse, which implies you may be convicted depending on the circumstances. It is advisable never to leave a young child alone in a car for an extended period of time.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Car Seat Laws
When Can My Child Sit in the Front Seat in New Jersey?
A child of any age can sit in a regular seat using a seat belt if he or she is over 8 years old. Under New Jersey law, only children ages 8 and above are permitted to transfer from the back seat to the front seat. The CDC’s federal guidelines advise against sitting in the driver’s seat until age 12.
Is it Illegal to Smoke in a Car with a Child in New Jersey?
yes, it is illegal to smoke in a motor vehicle with a child passenger in new jersey. Anyone who violates this law will have to pay a $100 fine.
Car Seat Inspections Help in New Jersey
- Find a NJ Child Passenger Safety Technician
- NJ Statewide Seat Check Schedule
- NJ State Police Child Safety Seat Program
- CPS Technician Search: Find a CPS Technician
- Safe Kids Worldwide Stations
- NHTSA car seat inspection Center
- Union County Child Safety Seat Inspection Center
- New Milford Child Car Seat Inspections
- South Orange Village Child Car Seat Fitting Station
- Hawthorne Child Passenger Seats
- Emerson Police Department Child Safety Seat Inspection
- Cranford Child Safety Seats
- Madison Car Seat Installation
- Township of Florence Child Safety Seat Inspections
- Rutgers Child Seat Inspection Station
- Township of Randolph Child Safety Seats
- Safe Kids Hudson County (Northern New Jersey)
Hudson County Car Seat Inspection Station:
Opens every Thursday, April through September
1st and 3rd Thursday of the month October through March
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
No appointment necessary
Child passenger safety related videos New Jersey
Installing a Rear-facing Car Safety Seat
Forward Facing Child Seat Installation
How to Use a Booster Seat
Car Seat Safety: Common Mistakes & Top Tips
More information and resources
- What parents need to know about N.J.’s car seat law
- Department of Law and Public Safety – Child Passenger seats
- American Academy of Pediatrics Car Seat Recommendations
- NHTSA Car Seat Recommendations
- 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Child’s Car Seat
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention Child Passenger Safety
USA Child Passenger Safety Laws by State
FIND YOUR STATE’S CAR SEAT LAWS
Click on your state on the map below to see your state’s car seat law
