New car seat laws are in place in Michigan. The Michigan State Police have shared key changes that parents and caregivers should know:
1. Children aged 0-2 must be in a rear-facing car seat. (Formerly only required until age 1.)
2. Children aged 2-5 must be in a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness. (Formerly only required until a child turned 4.)
3. Children aged 5-8 must sit in a booster seat secured with a lap and shoulder belt, unless the child is at least 4’9” tall before he or she turns 8 years old.
4. Children under the age of 13 must ride in the back seat of any vehicle unless all other rear seats are taken by other children, or the vehicle does not have rear seats. If the vehicle doesn’t have rear seating, the front seat must be able to have the airbags directly in front of the child turned off.
5. Exceptions: There are exceptions for rear- and front-facing car seats when children exceed height and/or weight specifications. If a child outgrows the height or weight limits of their current car seat, they can graduate to the next kind of seat (booster, etc.) If an infant outgrows his or her infant carrier, the child must be moved into a convertible or all-in-one seat, and it must be rear-facing
