Help with Understanding Car Safety Seat Rules.

http://www.aap.org/family/Carseatguide.htm

Age Type of Seat General Guideline
Infants Infant seats and rear-facing convertible seats All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.
Toddlers/Preschoolers Convertible seats It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible. Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing.
School-aged children Booster seats Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats. Children should stay in a booster seat until adult belts fit correctly (usually when a child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age).
Older children Seat belts Children who have outgrown their booster seats should ride in a lap and shoulder belt in the back seat until 13 years of age.

Here are the step I took to obtain the info from Iowa's DMV so this is the law/offical:

* http://www.iamvd.com/
** click on DRIVER SERVICES on the right side of the page
** go to the bottom of the page under the subject Seat Belt & Child Restraint are the links to the laws
* Here is the final webpage with the info you need:
http://www.iamvd.com/ods/beltlaw.pdf
on the 2nd page bottom middle is the question about Iowa’s Child Safety Seat Law. Also in the next question about pentaly says more about front/back seat.

I would show hubby this, it clearly says that 6 years of age and younger MUST be in a booster in the BACK seat.

a lot of local police departments should have that info and sometimes host safety checks. maybe the DOT. i don't remember all the rules but i know they can't be in the front seat until 12 years old AND 4'9". it seems like forever but it's worth the wait to keep them safe. my ex sis-in-law always rushed her kid into the next step and it worried me sick. each milestone has a weight and age requirement and both need to be followed ("and" not "or"). it is all based on what the car/booster seat can handle and what the child's neck/body can handle. stick to your guns on this one! safe travels.

S. m

try going to the states dmv website.

http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/English_CPS_Guide.pdf

"All children under age 13 should ride in the back seat".

This is mainly because of air bags, but the back seat is safer also because of the lowered chance of injury or death in a crash. If your vehicle has a passenger air bag, children must not ride in the front. If your vehicle is newer, it may be equipped with a sensor that turns off the passenger air bag when less than 70 pounds is in the seat. But again, the back is safer.

Here is the link to the Iowa Dept of Transporation brochure:
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/English_CPS_Guide.pdf

Near the bottom right it says "All children under age 13
should ride in the back seat." If a child is riding in a vehicle that doesn't have a backseat or if for any other reason you put a child in the front seat, make sure you turn off the passenger airbags. Most car/truck owners manuals state that children should not ride in the front seat due to airbag dangers.

The website i found also states the totals of the fines so that might help to encourage him.

Iowa law requires that babies under one year of age and weighing less than 20 pounds be secured in a rear-facing car seat. The law further requires that children under age 6 be secured in an appropriate car seat or booster seat, not a seat belt alone. Iowa law also requires that children over age 6 but under age 11 be secured in a booster seat or seat belt.

http://babyproducts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1...

copy and paste that and it will give u detailed everything u need.

I believe if there are no air bags in the front or it u can shut them off then you can put a child seat up there. If there are airbags with no shut off to the passenger side (both front and side air bags in the front) then it is illegal for anyone under the age of 13 to ride there and most vehicles with backseats do not have a shut off for air bags.

For the future with your children in Iowa (most states are NOT like this) once that wonderful age of 13 is reached you can ride in the back without a safety belt...just remember that if you go out of state most states require that no matter what age you are everyone must be in a seatbelt.

check out this website.
http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/index.htm

Go to your local police station. They should have that information for you.

Out of curiosity I looked up the Iowa law http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/English_CPS_Guide.pdf and I didn't find a place where it mentioned the back seat, which I find shocking (and unclear). I'm with the advice to check with your car insurance agency or the local police/fire dept with your specific question.

Go down to your local police department and ask them for the current guidelines. Our local police and fire departments have them and will provide them to the public at no charge - they also sponsor car seat safety days, and will help you install your car seats to make sure they are installed correctly to insure the safety of your child during an accident. Good luck!

You got tons of great advice already, I just want to stress talking to the Ohio Department of Transportaion. Look them up online or call information to get their number. They will have all the information that will spell out the laws for you. My brother used to work for the WI DOT and they set the carseat rules.

My daughter was 16 and babysitting a little 4 year old girl who she let ride in the front on the arm rest of the car, not buckled in (this was before the seatbelt laws for children and she did get into big trouble from us over it) when she didn't yield at a yield sign and broadsided a car. No one was hurt thank goodness, but the airbag deployed and the chemicals burned holes in the sweat suit the little girl was wearing. Had she been sitting on the seat rather then the armrest, she could have had sever burns to her face. So even if you do have the passenger side air bag off, your child could still be burned with the chemicals that spray out when the bag goes off. Back seat is the only place for a child under the age of 13.

I agree that seat belt laws can be difficult to understand. The internet can help. I looked up Iowa seat belt laws at http://babyproducts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1... (about.com) and the national safety recommendation is that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat.

You don't haveto look on line. Look at your car. Most vehicles state that the safest place for a child under the age of 12 is in the back seat. They can easily be killed by airbags in an accident.

Check with your local Police Department or hospital. Most have certified safety seat installers and information on this. I don't believe Iowa requires the children to be in the back seat but it is highly suggested because of airbags.

L., I have State Farm Insurance and I know they put out a pamphlet on carseat safety. I live Davenport Iowa if you take your vehicle to your local fire station they also check and explain carseat safety you may have to call in advance for that. good luck.

The rules vary from state to state. Check with the local police or a local hospital. Many hospitals - at least the birthing units, have a staff member who is trained in this.

the basics are -- kids are always safest in the back seat. they should stay in seats until the limit of height and weight on the seat. 5 point harnesses are the safest so find ones with a higher height/weight limit. make sure all straps fit correctly.
Good luck!!