When Can A Child Use A Booster Seat In Michigan?

A child is ready to use a booster seat when he or she is 5 years of age or older or when the child has outgrown his or her forward-facing car seat. Michigan’s car seat laws require that until either of those conditions are met, a child must use a forward-facing car seats.

When can my child move from a forward-facing car seat to a booster seat?

A child can switch from a forward-facing car seat to a booster seat when either of the following conditions occur: (1) the child has reached the forward-facing car seat’s weight or height limit as set by the seat’s manufacturer or (2) the child is 5 years of age or older. (257.710d(2)(b))

When can my child stop using booster seat?

A child is no longer required to sit in a “belt-positioning child booster seat” when either of the following conditions occur: (1) the child has reached the height of 4 feet 9 inches or (2) the child is 8 years of age or older. (257.710d(2)(c))

Michigan’s Child Car Seat Laws

Michigan’s child car seat laws require the following:

• Children under 2 years of age must be secured in a rear-facing car seat. (MCL 257.710d(2)(a)(ii))

• Children under 5 years of age must be secured in a forward-facing car seat. (MCL 257.710d(2)(b)(ii))

• Children under 8 years of age must be secured in a booster seat. (MCL 257.710d(2)(c)(ii))

• Children under 13 years of age must (1) wear a seat belt and (2) sit in the rear seat of the vehicle. (MCL 257.710d(4))

• Children who are 13 years of age but less than 16 years of age may sit in the front seat or the rear seat of the vehicle, but wherever they sit, they must wear a seat belt. (MCL 257.710d(4) and (5); 257.710e(3) and (5))

• Children who are 16 years of age or older may sit in the front seat or the rear seat of the vehicle, but they are only required to wear a seat belt if they are seated in the front seat. (MCL 257.710e(3))

To learn more about Michigan’s Child Car Seat Law, please check the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning’s webpage on “Child Passenger Safety.”

OHSP’s ‘Michigan Car Seat Basics’ video

In its “Michigan Car Seat Basics” video, the OHSP explains what children can do once they have aged out of or outgrown their booster seat:

“Once kids are 4’9” tall or 8 years old, they can use a seat belt.”

Child Car Seat Safety Tips

To keep your kids safe and secure in their car seats, make sure the seats are properly installed.

In its video, “Child Passenger Safety – Common Mistakes,” the OHSP offers these suggestions for improving car seat safety: 

• Harness straps should be snug to the child’s body so you can’t pinch them.
• Car seats, installed with seat belts or LATCH, should not move more than one inch from side-to-side.
• Caregivers should wait until children outgrow the height or weight limit of their seat before moving to the next step, such as rear-facing to forward-facing.
• The chest clip should be secured at the child’s armpits to keep straps correctly positioned and keep kids from wiggling out of their straps during the ride.
• Children should ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old. The force of an air bag may be too strong for children under the age of 13.

Injured in a car accident in Michigan? Call the auto accident attorneys at Michigan Auto Law

If your child was injured in a car accident in Michigan while riding in their booster seat, call now (800) 968-1001 for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. There is no cost or obligation. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website.

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