Follow These Best Practices When Buckling Up Children

The North Dakota Department of Health and Human services offers the following best practices when transporting children in vehicles:

Children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.

Rear-Facing: Children should ride rear-facing as long as possible.

Two types of car seats are available for rear-facing:

Infant Seats - Most of these seats can be used until 22-35 pounds. Use them until the highest size limits or until the child's head is within one inch of the top of the seat.

Convertible Seats - These seats can be used rear-facing and forward-facing. Most can be used rear-facing up to 30-50+ pounds. Use them rear-facing until the highest size limits allowed by the manufacturer.

Forward Facing: When children have outgrown the highest rear-facing size limits of their car seat, they may ride forward-facing in a car seat with a harness. Use the seat until the child reaches the highest size limits allowed by the manufacturer. Car seats with harnesses can be used up to 100 pounds.

Boosters: When children have outgrown the harness in their forward-facing car seat, they may be moved to a belt-positioning booster seat. Keep children in boosters until they are about 4'9" tall or until the seat belt fits correctly over the body. Most boosters can be used up to 80-120 pounds.

Seat Belt: When children have outgrown their booster seat, they may use a seat belt when it fits over the body correctly. For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt centered across the chest. It should not lie on the stomach or across the neck.

• SELECT a car seat based on your child's age, size, development and maturity. Size information will be on labels attached to the car seat and in the instruction manual.

• SECURE your child in the seat snugly, following the car seat instructions.

• INSTALL the seat tightly in your vehicle using the seat belt OR lower anchors and tether (LATCH) system. Follow the car seat instructions and vehicle owner's manual.

• REGISTER your car seat with the manufacturer, check for recalls and monitor the expiration date of the seat. REGISTER your seat HERE.

Have your child's car seat or booster checked by one of the many certified child passenger safety technicians available throughout the state. 

To find a child passenger safety technician:

• Contact the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Child Passenger Safety Program at 800.472.2286, 711 (TTY)

• Learn more at www.hhs.nd.gov/child-passenger-safety, or visit  https://www.safercar.gov and select "Car seats and booster seats."

For Additional Best Practices about Car Seats and Travel Vests

Car Seats, Boosters and Travel Vests: Information for Families - HealthyChildren.org