Like every other state in the U.S., Colorado requires children to sit in appropriate car or booster seats when riding in cars. Children age 15 and under must use a child restraint system or seat belt as appropriate for their height and weight. Failing to secure a child in a vehicle properly constitutes a primary offense, which means police can stop a car if they observe an unsecured minor occupant. Drivers may also face criminal charges if they have an unsecured minor passenger who suffers injuries in a crash.
What are the Height and Weight Requirements for Car Seats in Colorado?
Under Colorado car seat laws, children typically must sit in car seats until they reach a weight of 40 pounds, when they usually exceed the maximum weight ratings of commercially available car seats. The specific car seat requirements change as a child grows up:
- Children under 12 months and weighing less than 20 pounds – Rear-facing child safety seat placed in the backseat only
- Children 1 to 3 and less than 20 pounds – Rear-facing child safety seat
- Children under 12 months and between 20 to 40 pounds – Rear-facing child safety seat
- Children 1 to 3 and between 20 and 40 pounds – Rear- or forward-facing child safety seat
- Children 4 to 7 and between 20 and 40 pounds – Forward-facing child safety seat or booster seat
Once a child reaches 40 pounds, they typically switch to a booster seat. Booster seats ensure that seat belts lie across a child’s body in the correct position, with the lower strap across the child’s lap rather than their waist or stomach and the upper strap across the child’s chest rather than their neck. When a seat belt lies correctly across the child’s body without a booster seat, they no longer need one.
When Can a Child Sit in the Front Seat in Colorado?
State and federal traffic officials and automobile safety experts recommend that children sit in the back seat until age 13. A child in the front seat must sit in a height and weight-appropriate child restraint system or booster seat.
In Colorado, a child can technically sit in the front seat once they reach 12 months old and 20 pounds, but only if no rear seat is available. They must be in a front-facing car seat positioned as far away from the airbag as possible.
What Are the Seat Belt Requirements for Children in Colorado?
Colorado’s seat belt law requires drivers and all front-seat passengers of motor vehicles to wear seat belts. However, the law also requires children 15 and younger to wear seat belts regardless of their seating position in a car. The seat belt requirement does not apply when an individual has a diagnosed physical or psychological condition that prevents using a seat belt or when an individual rides in a vehicle not required to have seat belts under federal law.
Are There Exceptions to Colorado’s Car Seat Laws?
Colorado law allows specific exceptions to the car seat law, including:
- Children under age 8 transported in a motor vehicle without a child restraint system for a medical or other life-threatening emergency
- Children transported in a commercial motor vehicle operated by a child care center
- Children transported in a vehicle operated by or on behalf of a common carrier, public transit authority, contract carrier, or luxury limousine service
Are There Penalties for Car Seat Violations in Colorado?
As a primary enforcement law, police in Colorado may pull over a driver if they observe an unrestrained passenger who appears 15 years old or younger in the vehicle. Police do not need to observe another traffic infraction to initiate the traffic stop. Any driver operating a car with an unsecured child passenger may receive a citation for a Class B traffic infraction, which carries a $65 fine plus a $6 surcharge. We have law offices in every major city across Colorado and Texas. Contact our Denver car accident attorney today.
How Do I Safely Use a Car Seat?
Parents and guardians can help keep their children safe in the car by following these tips for safely using child safety seats and booster seats:
- Follow the car or booster seat manufacturer’s instructions when installing the seat. Colorado provides free car seat safety inspection stations for people who want to learn how to install their car or booster seat or ensure they’ve done so correctly.
- Replace your car or booster seat once your child’s height and weight exceed the seat’s manufacturer-stated limits.
- Do not use an old or used car seat, as the seat may have missing equipment or instructions, hidden damage, or defects. Always purchase new car or booster seats from a reputable manufacturer or retailer.
- Replace your car seat once it expires. The plastic in a car seat can degrade over time, and wear and tear from use can impair the seat’s safety features. All car seats should have labels bearing their expiration date.
- Check the car seat model for a recall before you buy. The government recalls car seats with design or manufacturing defects that affect the seat’s ability to keep a child safe.
- Always buckle your children in a car or booster seat, even for short trips.
- Remove a child’s coat or other bulky clothing before strapping them into a car seat. Thick clothing can interfere with the seat straps’ ability to secure the child.
- Replace your child’s car seat if you get into a moderate or severe car crash (including when your vehicle’s airbags deploy). Many safety features in car seats that prevent children from suffering injuries in a collision perform best in only one accident and will not provide optimal protection in subsequent wrecks.
Contact a Colorado Car Accident Lawyer
If you or your child suffered injuries in a car crash in Colorado caused by someone else’s negligence, you need top-quality legal representation to demand financial compensation for your losses. Contact The Wilhite Law Firm today for a free consultation with an experienced Colorado car accident attorney.
