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Laws vs. Recommendations
North Carolina Law vs. What is Recommended
North Carolina child passenger safety and seat belt laws are minimum standards and are based mostly on age. However, recommendations are based on the weight and physical development of the child which go beyond the law and are the very best you can do to insure your child's safety.
The law says: A rear-facing child safety seat must not be placed in the front if an air bag is active.
Recommendation: Children should ride rear-facing in the back seat for as long as possible as allowed by the weight limits of the safety seat being used. If a child must ride in the front seat, the Highway Patrol recommends that the air bag be disengaged.
The law says: All children under age 16 must be buckled in the front or rear seat, and children under the age of 5 and less than 40 pounds must be properly secured in a child safety seat meeting federal standards in effect at the time of its manufacture.
Recommendation: Children less than 20 pounds and under age 1 should ride in a rear-facing child safety seat installed according to manufacturer instructions of both the child safety seat and the vehicle. Children over age 1 and who weigh at least 20 pounds can be turned around to face the front of the vehicle and should ride in a properly installed front-facing child safety seat until the child outgrows the seat, which is usually about 40 pounds.
The law says: Children age 5 or greater than 40 pounds in weight, may use a seatbelt.
Recommendation: Children should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat only when the full harness child safety seat is outgrown, usually about 40 pounds, and continue to ride in the booster seat until they are at least eight years old, unless they are at least 4'9" tall. Children should not be switched to a seat belt until the belt fits the child correctly and the child is mature enough to sit relatively still. Correct fit is achieved when the child's bottom is against the back of the seat, the knees bend at the edge of the seat cushion, the lap belt fits low and tight across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt crosses the collar bone and center of the chest.
The law says: Seatbelts are required for occupants 16 and older only if they are seated in the front seat.
Recommendation: Children under age 12 should ride in the back seat, and EVERYONE, children and adults, should ride properly restrained in all seating positions at all times.
The law says: Children under age 12 may not ride in the open bed or cargo area of a truck unless supervised by an adult.
Recommendation: No one should ride in the open bed or cargo area of a truck.
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