Prepared by
Alabama Department of Public Health
Injury Prevention Division
201 Monroe Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 206-5300 / 1-800-252-1818
www.adph.org/injuryprevention
ADPH-INJ-18-8-06-kw
Standard lap and shoulder
belts should not be used
for children less than
4’9” tall and
weighing less
than 80 pounds.
Need Help with Your Car Seat?
There are over 20 Child Safety Seat Inspection
Stations across Alabama that provide free help
and information. To find a certified individual
near you, visit www.adph.org/injuryprevention
or call 1-800-504-9768 in Alabama.
Always read your vehicle’s manual and the safety
seat’s instructions to install a car seat correctly.
Protect your child
by using a
booster seat.
Protect yourself by
buckling up.
4
STEPS FOR KIDS
INFANT
TODDLER
BOOSTER
SAFETY BELT
Most kids age 4 to 8 need booster seats
2
1
3
4
Keep
Alabama’s
Kids Safe
Booster Seats
Alabama Child Restraint Law
Effective July 1, 2006: Every person transporting
a child in a motor vehicle operated on the road-
ways, streets, or highways of this state, shall pro-
vide for the protection of the child by properly
using ...a child passenger restraint system. The
size appropriate restraint system required for a
child shall include all of the following:
(1) Birth to Age 1 or 20 pounds:
Infant only seats and convertible seats used
in the rear facing position.
(2) Age 1 or 20 pounds to age 5 or 40 pounds:
Convertible seats in the forward position or
forward facing seats.
(3) Age 5 or 40 pounds to age 6:
Booster seats.
(4) Age 6 to Age 15:
Seat belts.
Any person violating the provisions of this act
may be fined $25.00.
Less than 10% of children
age 4-8 use booster seats.
Booster seats ensure the car’s
safety belt fits a child correctly.
This can avoid serious injury.
Car crashes kill more
children 4 to 8 years
old than anything else.
What is a Booster Seat?
A booster seat is a type of vehicle restraint that
lifts children up so that the lap and shoulder
harness of a seat belt fits them properly across
the hips, chest and shoulder.
Seat belts are designed for adults, not children.
Beginning at around age 4, many children are
too large for toddler seats, but too small for
adult safety belts. All children who are 40
pounds and under eight years of age, unless
they are 4’9” tall, should be in a booster seat
to ensure a proper fit in the vehicle’s seat belt
system.
(National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration)
How the Seat Belt Should Fit:
The shoulder belt should cross the child’s chest
and rest snugly on the shoulder. The lap belt
should rest low across the pelvis or hip area,
never across the stomach area. The shoulder
belt should never be placed behind a child’s
back or under the arm. If this is done, your
child could be seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
How do I know if my child is
ready for the seat belt alone?
An easy way to tell if your child is ready for a
seat belt alone is if the child is tall enough to sit
with his or her back against the vehicle seat
cushion, with knees bent over the seat edge and
feet on the floor, without slouching. The
required height for this position is about 4 feet,
9 inches.
(American Academy of Pediatrics)
Remember:
•A booster seat needs to be used every time.
• The back seat is the safest place for all
children to ride.
• Always secure an empty booster seat in place.
•Never allow a child to place the shoulder belt
behind their back or under their arm.
Kids tell us:
“I’m in a big kid seat!”
“I can see out the window now!”
“The seat belt fits better and doesn’t
rub my neck!”
