car seats for kids in Florida?

[chrispy08]

here in Canada the law goes by either height, weight or age, which ever comes first, after 8yrs old a booster seat is not needed anymore, anybody know the law in Florida? I have a rental car and a 9 and 7 yr old! Thanks in advance Chris

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

From Florida Statutes:

316.613 Child restraint requirements.—
(1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

That is for Child Safety Seat. For Booster Seats, they should be used until:
- Age 8
- 4'9" tall
- 80 lbs

TS

 

[bnoble]

TS is right.

Florida is among the most lax in terms of requirements. They do not require boosters at all, just child seats (and those only for children three and under).

Here is a short table that summarizes different requirements.
http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html

So, you *should* have a booster seat for the seven year old, but in Florida you are not required to.