Changes in Child Booster Seat Law
Posted on Apr 12, 2008
Starting in July, the law for booster seats in Massachusetts will change. The new law is that all children up to the age of 8 years will need to be using either a car seat or a booster seat. An exemption will be for taller children. Any child taller than 4 feet 9 inches (57 inches) will not be subject to this requirement. All children ages 8 and older should then be using the car's lap and shoulder belts.
The current law that is being replaced states that children have to be both 5 years old and weigh 40 pounds to be out of a car or booster seat.
We've had questions about whether the law applies to children over eight years old but less than 4' 9". The exact wording of the law is: "No child under the age of eight and measuring less than fifty-seven inches in height shall ride as a passenger in a motor vehicle on any way unless such child is properly fastened and secured, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, by a child passenger restraint." The standards for child safety seats are set out in 49 CFR 571.213.
You can see from the excerpt above that the requirement is for children under eight AND less than 4'9".
