# ? laws re: child car seats in Florida



## gands.frost (Feb 9, 2006)

In the UK, we are generally not allowed to seat children in car seats in the front, certianly not if there is an airbag.  We are a party of 6 (3 adults, 3 children aged 2,4 & 6) travelling to Orlando and we would prefer to book a 6-seater, something like a Crown Victoria or Lincoln town car, as opposed to a minivan.  What are the laws in the US/Florida regarding this?

Any help appreciated.

India


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## JeffV (Feb 9, 2006)

*Here is what you wanted*

Florida law is very specific about how passengers in Florida should be belted. All front seat occupants must be buckled up, regardless of age. Children ages 6-15 must be belted in either the front or back seat of the vehicle. The driver is responsible for passengers under 16 years who are not buckled up. Passengers 16 years of age or older may be individually fined if they are not buckled up.
What is Florida's child safety belt law?
All children under six years must be properly restrained while riding in any car, pickup truck, or van on Florida's roads, no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle. Children through age three must be secured in a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child safety seat. For children aged four through five years, a separate carrier, or integrated child safety seat, or a safety belt may be used. Children should be secured in the rear seat. Never secure a child in the front passenger side, especially if your vehicle has an air bag.


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## mikey0531 (Feb 9, 2006)

I'm not sure if you're wondering if they need car seats or not.  But, I found this helpful link

Hope it helps.


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## mikey0531 (Feb 9, 2006)

I don't know why that didn't show up as a link.  I'll try again

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=CH0316/SEC613.HTM&Title=->2001->CH0316->Section%20613


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## gands.frost (Feb 9, 2006)

*2 more questions following your responses*

Wow that was a fast response - thank you.  

We intend using approved car seats for all of them, as opposed to booster seats.  Am I right in my interpretation of the information you provided that the 2 year old in an approved car seat with 5 point harness wouldn't be allowed to be seated in the middle front?

If so, do you think that 3 adults in the front of a Lincoln town car would be a 'squash and a squeeze'?  We'd never manage it in any vehicle in the UK but Hertz at Miami airport tell me it would be fine.

India


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## happybaby (Feb 9, 2006)

*car seat*

If I'm reading this right, my gr. d will not need a car seat?  Just buckle up ? She will be 4yr 10 months at time of travel.  I was planning on taking the booster seat.  But.... wgt. says for 40 lbs and she is about 30  to 32 lbs.   We use that around here (PA) in case no car seat is available. 

I am planning on renting a Trail Blazer and she always sits in the back seat.  Need the vehicle to accomodate luggage and stroller.


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## elaine (Feb 10, 2006)

*No Young Child Should Be In Front!!!!*

I can't begin to state how important it is for a variety of reason for a young child to be in the REAR.  1st--air bags WILL kill them, even if in the middle, even if in a carseat! 2nd--if ejected for some reason, they are going straight thru the windshield--like a missle, 3rd, if windshield gets broken, very likely to cause very serious injury to a young child.
You may seat 3 adults in front. That should be your only option.  IF you have a VERY big 6 year old, your other option would be to seat that child in the front (b/c least likely to be killed by airbag, of the 3 kids).  I believe that the FLA law is applicable only if you have the option to seat all kids in back, but would be waived if you don't (ex--a mother with 4 children---one would have to sit in front seat). 
Keep in mind, there are lots of tourists and lots of car crash in FLA---you can't know whether you will be in one, or not---and a 10-15 mile an hour fender bender going to disney is enough to set off the airbags--and kill a child.


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## elaine (Feb 10, 2006)

*ps--three average adults would be fine in CV*

if overweight, then tight, but even if you have at least 1 smaller adult (125 lbs) for the middle , then you would be OK, esp. for trips 1 hour or less.


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## shoney (Feb 10, 2006)

Last summer we were in Orlando with 4 adults and 2 children.  We rented a minivan (that is what I drive around in here in NY as well).  I think you would be much more comfortable with two adults in the front, 2 car seats in the captains chairs in the middle, one booster (most 6 year old have already outgrown the 5 point harness kind) and 1 adult in the rear seat.  
It is a little tight getting two and from the airport with lugguge but definately doable.  It was really cheap too.  We used avis and it was only $500 for two weeks!  I wouldn't want to chance having a six year old in the front nor do I think that 3 adults would want to be in the front together.
Also, make sure you bring your own seats because the rental places charge a fortune.  I would rather buy them at Wal-mart in Floriday and donate them before paying there prices!  My kids were 4 and 6 last summer so I checked them in on the flight and just picked them up at baggage claim.  You may opt to have the seat on the plane for the younger one.  Have fun!


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## RonaldCol (Feb 12, 2006)

*Seating Safety in Automobiles*

I just got back from having to take a defensive driver's education review course. Yours truly was caught in a speedtrap and got a moving violation, hence the review class.

I don't know the specifics of Florida law as I attended the class for our state, Illinois, but here are some pertinent points that cross all jurisidictions because they are safety related.

1. Just placing seatbelts on passengers sitting in the front will not protect them if the passengers in the back are not seat-belted. In a head-on collision the passengers in the unbelted back seats become virtual projectiles shooting forward. The backseat passengers will smash against the back of the front seats, possibly killing seat-belted front seat passengers. A 15 pound infant that's not restrained will feel like a 300 pound projectile in a 70 mile and hour collision. Had Princess Diane been seat-belted research and computer animations showed she could have walked away from her car crash; as it was the only seat-belted person in that four occupant car did walk away; his only injury was the one sustained when Diane, sitting directly behind him, lurched forward and hit the seat-belted passenger in the front.

2. In the case of a broadside collision, where the impacting car hits the side of the targeted car, no seat-belt or front dash airbags will help. In this case, you hope that if the car has car door airbags, that they will work and blunt some of the impact damage. Here again, cross your fingers and hope for the best. In a scenario like this, throw everything at the oncoming car, even the kitchen sink, and hope for the best.

3. Prior to the 1960's cars were built for survival in a crash. The safety of occupants was a secondary consideration. After the 1960's, post Ralph Nader era, car manufacturers made cars to protect passengers. Now when cars crash, they crumple, they fold up, they become misshapened, all the while protecting their passengers. Cars are now designed for passenger protection, so even a 20 mile an hour head-on collision will result in a toss-away car. Car owners are of the mistaken belief that car manufacturers design throw-away cars, but this is not the case.

4. Over the last ten years, the US fatality rate for car accidents have dropped from an annual 52,000 deaths to an average of 40,000 deaths while the number of car accidents have stabilized at basically unchaged 6,000,000 per year. FYI the number of cars on the road in the US over the past ten years increased 40% while the numbers of highways and roads built in the same period increased only 1%; yes, this is why you see so many traffic jams, etc., etc.

5. Lap belts were discovered early on to not necessarily save people, but caused different types of injury.  Lap belts, to be used properly, must be placed on the lap and NOT over the stomach and lower torso. The portion of modern seat-belts that really protect passengers are the ones that go across the chest and serve to prevent passengers from lurching forward in a car crash.

Yes, I did learn something and I'm glad I did.


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