Child Passenger Safety Law

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North Dakota's Child Passenger Safety Law

 

  • Children younger than 8 years of age are required to ride in a child restraint (car seat or booster seat). The restraint must be used correctly – following the manufacturer’s instructions.
     
  • A correctly-used seat belt may be substituted for children younger than 8 who are at least 4’9” tall.
     
  • Children ages 8 through 17 must be properly secured in a seat belt or child restraint (car seat or booster seat).
     
  •  Children younger than 18 must be properly restrained regardless of their location in a vehicle.
     
  • The penalty for violating this law is $25 and one point against the license of the driver. The driver is responsible for ensuring that all occupants are buckled up in the appropriate restraint.

To help select the right child restraint for your child, refer to the best practice guidelines below.

 

Follow These Best Practices When Buckling Up Children

 

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 a child is 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 children can use rear-facing up to 3040+ 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 40-100+ 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 is positioned 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’s over the body correctly. For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs and be snug across the shoulder and chest. It should not lie on the stomach or across the neck.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

  • 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.

Need help?  

You can have your child’s car seat or booster seat checked by one of the many certified child passenger safety technicians available throughout the state. To find a child passenger safety technician, contact North Dakota Health and Human Services, Child Passenger Safety Program at 800-472-2286, or visit www.hhs.nd.gov/ndcpsa.
 

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