Introduction to the Missouri Car Seats Law

Introduction to the Missouri Car Seats Law

It is very important to know and understand Missouri’s car seat laws, whether you are expecting a child or have small children in your family. These laws make sure your child is held safely within your vehicle and also ensure you do not get a traffic ticket if you violate the same. 

Here is the current state of the Missouri Car Seat Law. 

What does the Missouri Car Seat Law Denote?

• Children under the age of four or who weigh less than forty pounds must be placed in a child safety seat. 
• Children between the age 4-7 or those who weigh less than eighty pounds, must sit in a safety seat or a booster seat unless they weigh over the limit or are taller than 4’9”.
• Children over the age of eight and those who weight around 80 pounds or are taller than 4’9” must be secured with a safety belt.
• All children under the age of sixteen must be properly secured in a vehicle.

Acceptable Restraints for Children in Missouri

• Rear-facing seats: This safety seat has a child restrained and turned towards the rear of the care. It provides neck, head, and back support and reduces stress to the child’s body in the event of a crash. Used for children who weigh less than 20 pounds and are less than a year old, these seats are “infant-only” seats. 
• Foward-facing seats: These seats have the child facing towards the front of the car and are designed for toddlers that are around one year old and weigh 20 pounds. 
• Convertible seats: A type of seat that can be converted from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat as per the requirement is known as convertible seats. 
• Booster seats: These seats boost a child just so he/she can be in the right position to wear seat belts. It must be low enough to allow the seat belt to fit across the shoulder, chest, and hips. Also, these are suitable for children who are under 4’9” tall and between 40-80 pounds.
• Safety belts: Adults and children must rely on a safety belt for car safety. The state of Missouri has very strict seat belt laws that make sure adults and children are held safely in their seats. 

A Guide to Proper Safety Seat Usage

One of the common causes of child injury in a car accident is due to the improper installation of a safety seat. According to the United States government statistics, a number of children are injured every year as a result of this misdemeanor.

You need to make sure that the seat isn’t placed in front of an airbag. It is likely to cause fatal injuries to your child. The parents also need to ensure that their safety seat is tightly secured. The failure to tighten the car seat in the proper place can lead to penalty and along with a traffic ticket. Sometimes the safety seats can be incapable of protecting a child in the event of a road mishap. Therefore, the safety seat needs to be anchored to the seat and held in place tightly with the car seat. 

Another essential thing that should be kept in mind is the use of proper safety seat according to the height, age, and weight of your child. 

Infants should never be kept in a forward-facing car seat since it puts them at risk in the event of an accident. He/she should also be buckled properly. The safety strap should be at level with the child’s armpit, and the harness should be tightly fastened around the child. 

Penalty

The Missouri Car Seats Law is in place to ensure the security of a child riding in motor vehicles. When the parents fail to restrain their child, there is a possibility of negative legal consequences, and they can also be charged with a traffic ticket.

In the state, the parents can face a fine up to $50 if they fail to comply with the car seat laws. The violations of a car seat law is considered a misdemeanor.