MN: New Car Seat Laws Take Effect on Thursday

MINNEAPOLIS (July 30, 2024) – A new law to take effect this Thursday, Aug. 1, is set to align Minnesota’s child passenger safety requirements with national best practices by specifying who must use a child restraint, and how.

The timing is right: Per AAA analysis, from 2017-2021 more than 3.9 million children ages 10 and younger were involved in car crashes while riding in a vehicle. Additional AAA research shows that, when used properly, infant seats, boosters, and seat belts will effectively protect young passengers – reducing fatalities by 71% for infants younger than 1 and by 54% for those younger than 4.

While the previous Minnesota statute instructed parents to follow a car seat’s manufacturer’s instructions on height and weight, the strengthened law requires that:

• Children under two sit rear-facing in an infant or convertible child safety seat.
• Children who are at least two years old and have outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by either height or weight sit forward-facing with an internal harness.
• Children who are at least four years old and have outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by either height or weight ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.
• Children who are 9 years old or have outgrown the booster seat and can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder bet secured correctly on the vehicle seat.
• Children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.
  
  
   

If a child can be placed in more than one category, then the child must be placed in the more protective category – with rear-facing being the most protective category. Importantly, Minnesota’s passenger restraint laws are primary offenses, meaning law enforcement will stop and ticket the drivers of vehicles with improperly restrained passengers. Safe restraints are required for every vehicle occupant, regardless of age.

“Amid rising traffic fatalities in Minnesota, we have a responsibility to look out for one another - especially the most vulnerable among us," said Brynna Knapp with AAA Public Affairs. "Taking the time to make sure child passengers are as safe as can be is simple, straightforward, and always the right thing to do. More specific requirements for more passengers lead to better safety outcomes.”

What is the five-step test to correctly fit a seatbelt?

1. The child should sit all the way back against the vehicle seat.
2. The child’s knees should bend over the edge of the vehicle seat.
3. The lap belt should fit snugly across the hips near the top of the child’s thighs, not the child’s abdomen.
4. The shoulder bet snugly crosses the center of the child’s chest and shoulder, not the child’s neck.
5. The child sits correctly, without slouching, for the duration of the ride.

How do I know if my child’s restraint system (car seat or booster seat) is installed correctly?

• Visit AAA’s Car Seat FAQs for resources on which car seats are recommended, how to register your car seat and look for recall information, and safety tips when installing your child’s car seat.
• Learn how to properly install your car seat with a free inspection by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. To find a free inspection near you, visit seatcheck.org