DHSMV: Safety First Messages/Child Passenger Safety

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4 Steps for Kids Guidelines

It is critically important to keep our children safe in vehicles as they travel our state’s roadways. That means putting them in the proper restraint for their age, size and weight.

"Securing your child in a correctly installed child safety seat is one of the most important things you can do to protect your child's life every day," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Since parents are often confused about the difference between child restraint laws (which differ in many states) and the recommendations of national experts regarding child safety seats, safety advocates want to ensure that parents and caregivers are aware of the National 4 Steps for Kids Guidelines: For a downloadable flyer, click here.

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Step 1: Babies from birth to one year+ AND at least 20+ pounds should ride in rear-facing child seats.

NEVER place an infant in a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag – this can cause severe injury or death.

Step 2: Toddlers, ages one through four, AND at least 40+ pounds should ride in forward-facing child seats.

Step 3: Children ages four through age eight and at least 40 pounds and 4'9" tall should ride in booster seats.

Step 4: Children over age eight or 4’9" tall may use the vehicle's seat belt if it fits them properly.

ALL children under age 13 should ride in the back seat of vehicles.

For more information about child safety seats, booster seats and airbags, please visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

To learn more about our Child Passenger Safety Program, to contact an expert to help you with installation of your child seat or to see if you qualify for a low-cost child seat through our program, please visit www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/CPS/

BOOSTER SEATS: It may be surprising to know that a survey conducted by AAA found that in Florida more than 80 percent of all child seats checked were improperly installed. Although statistically most infants and toddlers under the age of four ride in the correct child safety seat, less than 10 percent of the children (ages five to eight) who should be in booster seats use one.

"Booster seats are as important as any of the other steps for protecting your child's life while riding in the car," according to NHTSA, which also recommends that "children who have outgrown child safety seats be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least eight years old, unless they are 4'9" tall." Since vehicle seat belts are designed for adults, not children, booster seats are important because they boost children up so that seat belts can fit them correctly.

For a downloadable flyer on booster seats, click here. For alternatives to booster seats for large children, click here.

For a downloadable flyer on the $2 Difference Program, click here. For more information about the program, click here.

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