Car and booster seat facts and statistics

Car crashes remain a leading cause of injury and death for children, but the right car seat or booster can make all the difference. The latest NHTSA data from 2022 (published in 2024) reveals that 39 percent of child passengers killed in crashes weren’t buckled in, a sobering reminder of how critical proper restraint use is. While child traffic fatalities saw a slight decline, thousands of kids are still injured each year in what are likely preventable accidents. Understanding car seat guidelines and ensuring proper installation can be lifesaving — yet many parents unknowingly use them incorrectly. Here’s what you need to know to help keep your child safe on the road.

Car seat safety statistics and facts

Car seat safety statistics and car seat death statistics are never easy to read. However, arming yourself with the facts may help to improve the outcome in the event of an accident.

Car seat recommendations based on a child’s age and size

Picking the right car seat isn’t just about following the law — it’s about keeping your child as safe as possible on the road. The right seat depends on their age, weight and height, and using the wrong one (or installing it incorrectly) can put them at serious risk in a crash. 

Thankfully, many police stations, fire departments and hospitals offer free car seat inspections to help parents get it right. Since proper car seat use dramatically reduces the risk of injury, knowing when to transition from rear-facing to forward-facing and eventually to a booster, is important to understand.

Rear-facing car seat

• Best for infants, from newborns to three-year-olds
• Designed to mitigate stress to the child’s fragile neck and spinal cord

Forward-facing car seat

• Best for toddlers between the ages of four and seven
• Designed with a buckled harness that limits your child’s movement in the event of an accident

Booster seat

• Best for children between the ages of four and 12
• Raises a child’s body so that the car’s seat belt sits correctly over the child’s hips and chest

Seat belt

• Best for children and adults ages 12 and above, provided they’re big enough so that the belt fits properly
• Should fit snugly across thighs, shoulder and chest

Car and booster seat safety laws by state

If you’re looking for ways to keep your family safe in the car, remember that enforcing seat belt use is one of the best ways to do that. Each state has its own booster seat guidelines and car seat laws.

• Car and booster seat safety laws by state

  State	Must be in safety seat	Maximum base fine for a first offense	Preference for rear seat
  Alabama	Until age 6	$25	No
  Alaska	Until 57” tall, 65 lbs	$50	No
  Arizona	Until age 7, 57” tall	$50	No
  Arkansas	Until age 6, 60 lbs	$25–$100	No
  California	Until age 8, 57” tall	$100–$250	Yes, for children 7 and below who are shorter than 57″
  Colorado	Until age 9	$71	Yes, for children two years  and younger and less than 40 lbs
  Connecticut	Until age 8	Driver receives infraction on first offense; $199 for the second offense	No
  Delaware	Until age 8	$25	Yes, for children 11 and younger and 65″ or less
  District of Columbia	Until age 8	$75	No
  Florida	Until age 6	$60	No
  Georgia	Until age 8	$50	Yes, for children 7 and below
  Hawaii	Until age 10, 4’ 9” tall	$100 for first offense; second offense $250–$500; third offense $500–$800. Must attend a child passenger safety class with each offense.	No
  Idaho	Until age 7	$79	No
  Illinois	Until age 8	$75	No
  Indiana	Until age 8	$25	No
  Iowa	Until age 6	$195	No
  Kansas	Until age 8	$60	No
  Kentucky	Until age 8	$50 for child restraint; $25 for booster seat	No
  Louisiana	Until age 9	$100	Yes, for children 12 years and younger
  Maine	Until age 8, 57”, 80 lbs	$50 for first offense; $125 for second offense; $250 for the third offense	Yes, for children 11 years and younger, and less than 100 lbs
  Maryland	Until age 8, 57”	$50	No
  Massachusetts	Until age 8, 57”	$25	No
  Michigan	Until age 8, 57”	$10 for children under 4; $25 for children 4–8 and under 57″	Yes, for children 13 years and younger
  Minnesota	Until age 8, 57”	$50	No
  Mississippi	Until age 7, 57”	$25	No
  Missouri	Until age 8, 4’ 9” tall, 80 lbs	$50	No
  Montana	Until age 5, 60 lbs	$100	No
  Nebraska	Until age 8	$25	Yes, for children 7 and younger
  Nevada	Until age 6, 57” tall	$100–$500	Yes, for children 2 years and younger
  New Hampshire	Until age 7, 57” tall	$50 for first offense; $100 for second offense	No
  New Jersey	Until age 8, 57” tall	$75	Yes, for children 7 years and younger, less than 57″ tall
  New Mexico	Until age 7, 60 lbs	$25	Yes, for children younger than one year in a rear-facing car seat
  New York	Until age 8	$100	No
  North Carolina	Until age 8, 80 lbs	$25	Yes, for children 4 and younger under 40 lbs.
  North Dakota	Until age 7	$25	No
  Ohio	Until age 8, 57” tall, 40 lbs	$75	No
  Oklahoma	Until age 8, 4” 9’ tall	$50	No
  Oregon	Until 4” 9’ and 40 lbs	$110	No
  Pennsylvania	Until age 8	$75	No
  Rhode Island	Until age 8, 57”, 80 lbs	$85; $40 for children 8–17 years of age	Yes, for children 7 and younger
  South Carolina	Until age 8 or 57” tall	$150	Yes, for children 7 and younger
  South Dakota	Until age 5 and 40 lbs	$25	No
  Tennessee	Until age 9 and 4’ 9” tall	$50	Yes, for children 8 and younger and less than 4′ 9″ tall
  Texas	Until age 8 and 57” tall	$25–$250	No
  Utah	Until age 8 and 57” tall	$45	No
  Vermont	Until age 8 and 20 lbs	$25	All children under age 13
  Virginia	Until age 8	$50	Yes, for children in rear-facing devices
  Washington	Until age 5 and 4’ 9” tall	$124	Yes, for children 12 years and younger.
  West Virginia	Until age 8 and 4’ 9” tall	$20	No
  Wisconsin	Until age 8, 57”, 80 lbs	$175.30 for passengers under 4 years old; $150.10 for passengers 4–7 years old	Yes, for children 3 and younger
  Wyoming	Until age 9	$50	Yes, for children 8 and younger

Replacing a car seat after a collision

A lesser-known car seat safety fact is that car seats need to be replaced after a collision — even a relatively minor one. Car accidents involve significant forces and those forces get absorbed by the vehicle and its contents. Car seats are designed to absorb some of that force to keep the child in the seat safe.

The plastic of a car seat can be damaged or weakened by a crash, even if the seat doesn’t show any signs of damage and looks like it is fine to use. It’s better to be safe and replace your child’s car seat after a collision to reduce the risk of injury (or worse) should an accident occur in the future.

Under NHTSA guidelines, if any of these apply to your collision, you should replace the car seat:

• The vehicle cannot be driven away from the crash site.
• The door nearest the seat was damaged.
• Any of the passengers in the vehicle sustained injuries.
• The airbags deployed.
• There is visible damage to the seat.

Does car insurance cover car seat replacement?

If you get into an accident, the NHTSA recommends that you replace car seats to keep your children safe. The good news for parents is that insurance companies typically help cover the cost of a new car seat if your policy includes collision coverage. When filing your insurance claim, make sure to inform the insurer that you have a car seat that will need to be replaced.

Frequently asked questions

• When can a child move from a car seat to a booster seat?

  Five-point harness car seats should have height and weight limits listed on them. Typically, children are ready to graduate from car seats to booster seats between the ages of five and nine.

• When can my child move out of their booster seat?

  A child is ready to transition out of a booster seat when they can sit properly in a seatbelt without slouching and the seatbelt fits them correctly. This means:

  Most children need a booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, typically between 8 and 12 years old, but this can vary. Always check your state laws and the height and weight recommendations on the booster seat for guidance.

  • The lap belt sits low across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
  • The shoulder belt rests snugly across the chest and shoulder, not the neck or face.
  • They can sit with their back against the seat and knees bending naturally at the edge without slouching.

• How can I make my car safer for kids?

  The first step is to make sure your child is properly restrained in the car. Ensure that your child doesn’t exceed the height and weight limits listed on their car seat or booster seat. Never leave children in a hot car — even if you’re just running inside for a moment. Talk to your children about not playing near vehicles and staying away from cars when they’re backing up.

• Where can I find cheap car insurance?

  Car insurance rates vary a lot between people because insurance companies use multiple factors to calculate your rate, including your driving record, information about your vehicle and personal information about you. That said, finding cheap car insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. One of the easiest ways to find the cheapest car insurance for your situation is to request quotes from several insurance companies for the same coverage types and levels and compare.

• What are common misuses of car seats and booster seats?

  Some of the most common mistakes people make when using car seats or booster seat include:

  • Installing the car seat improperly: Even similar-looking seats may have different installation requirements, and installed seats should move no more than one inch from side to side.
  • Placing the chest clip incorrectly: A chest clip that is too low may allow the child to be ejected from the seat. One placed too high could cause a neck injury. In general, the clip should align with the child’s armpits.
  • Choosing the wrong seat: In general, children three and under should be in a rear-facing seat, and those four and up should have a forward-facing seat with a harness.
  • Using an expired seat: Car seats usually expire six years after they’re made as the plastic becomes more brittle and parts become worn.