LANSING – Michigan began enforcing new car seat safety regulations for children on Wednesday. These updated rules extend the required time children must remain in age-appropriate safety seats, aiming to improve overall vehicle safety for young passengers.

The new law outlines specific requirements based on the child’s age, height and weight, with fines and penalties for non-compliant drivers.

Here’s a breakdown of the new rules:

• Children under the age of 2 must be placed in a rear-facing car seat and must remain in that position until they turn 2-years-old or exceed the height or weight limits specified by the seat’s manufacturer.

• Children around age 3 are allowed to sit in forward-facing car seats, but only if the seat is equipped with an internal harness system. They must remain in this type of seat until they reach age 5, or until they outgrow the manufacturer’s specified height or weight limits.

• Children older than 5 may transition to what’s known as a booster seat, which utilizes both shoulder and lap belts. Children must stay in booster seats until they turn 8-years-old or reach a height of 4 feet 9 inches (1.28 meters)—whichever comes first.

• In general, children under the age of 4 must be seated in the rear seat of the vehicle at all times.

  • Exceptions apply if:

    • The vehicle does not have a back seat, or

    • The back seat is already occupied by other children under the age of 4

  • In these exceptional cases, the child may sit in the front passenger seat, but only in a rear-facing car seat, and only if the front airbag is deactivated, to avoid the risk of injury in a collision.

• Children aged 13 or younger are generally prohibited from sitting in the front seat unless no rear seat is available.

• All passengers between the ages of 8 and 15 must wear a seat belt, regardless of whether they are sitting in the front or rear seats.

The aim of the updated rules is to align Michigan’s vehicle safety standards with national best practices, and to reduce injuries and fatalities among child passengers by ensuring they remain in the safest possible seating arrangements for their age and size.