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Utah Department of Public Safety

Highway Safety Office

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For Child Passenger Safety Training click here.

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY

Utah's Child Restraint Law states: The operator of a motor vehicle operated on a highway shall provide for the protection of a person younger than eight years of age by using a child restraint device to restrain each person in the manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the device.

Children younger than eight are not required to be in a booster seat if they are at least 57 inches tall. At that point, they should use the lap and shoulder belt without a booster.

The penalty for breaking this law is $45. Failure to properly secure children is a primary offense, so a driver may be pulled over if anyone in the vehicle under age 19 is not properly restrained. This does not mean simply restrained in a seat belt. Children ages seven and younger must be restrained in an age-appropriate child safety seat or booster seat.

4 Easy Steps to Protect America's Children
Rear Facing Seats REAR-FACING SEATS in the back seat from birth to at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds.
Foward-Facing Toddler Seats FORWARD-FACING TODDLER SEATS in the back seat from age 1 and 20 pounds to about age 4 and 40 pounds.
Booster Seats BOOSTER SEATS in the back seat from about age 4 to at least age 8, unless 4'9" tall.
Safety Seats SAFETY BELTS at age 8 and older or taller than 4'9". All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat.

Looking for a child safety seat inspection station?
Click here

QUESTIONS?

For more information, please contact

Kristy Rigby
Occupant Protection Program Manager
Utah Highway Safety Office
(801) 957-8570

krigby@utah.gov