# California carseat laws?



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Where can I find a definitive website that clearly lists the California carseat laws? I've been searching online and have only been able to come up with stuff like this (it's a PDF): http://www.carseat.org/Legal/636_CAlaw_guide.pdf, which for some reason doesn't seem very clearly written to me. I want a site that says something like:

Rear-facing and 5-point harness: X years and XX pounds
Carseat with 5-point harness: X years and XX pounds
Belt-positioning booster: X years and XX pounds

It seems like it should be so simple to find, and I'm sure it is, but for some reason my Googling skills are failing me tonight -- can anyone help me out?


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## Eris (Sep 11, 2002)

get it from the source:

CA Vehicle Code Section 27360-27368

Maybe that's not entirely easy to read either, but it's the whole of the law. Basically:

A child who is under 6 and under 60lbs has to ride in a safety seat or booster. There is no law about age/weight for rear vs forward facing, nor is there one for harnessed vs booster, except that the seat must meet "applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards", which probably only happens if you follow manufacturer guidelines (which are mostly about weight, not age).


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Just keep in mind laws are the minimum at best and very dangerous at the worst.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Eris* 
get it from the source:

CA Vehicle Code Section 27360-27368

Maybe that's not entirely easy to read either, but it's the whole of the law. Basically:

A child who is under 6 and under 60lbs has to ride in a safety seat or booster. There is no law about age/weight for rear vs forward facing, nor is there one for harnessed vs booster, except that the seat must meet "applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards", which probably only happens if you follow manufacturer guidelines (which are mostly about weight, not age).

Thank you -- for some reason that web page isn't loading for me, but I'll keep trying.

I'm surprised that the law isn't more specific -- so anytime between infancy and 6 years old you can legally put your kid into a belt-positioning booster? That seems odd to me. (I'm not questioning you; I just think the law is strange.)


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## Eris (Sep 11, 2002)

Oh, hm, yeah, my link was just my session-search URL, oops.

Maybe this URL?

CVC 27360-27368

It is a disappointing law. Wasn't that long ago that it was 4years and 40lbs to be out of a seat entirely in California (though it was *and*, and now it's 6 *or* 60).


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Most carseat laws are that disappointing. We have a 6yr law here as well, it was 5 till about 3 yrs ago. We have a proper use clause so babies do have to rf till 1/20 (or whatever the limits of the seat are), but after that it's free game for the most part.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Thanks Eris -- the new link worked (although it's just as difficult to decipher as the link I posted -- there appears to be no plain-English statement of the law, huh?).

So it sounds like you're saying that you go by the height/weight/age requirements of each individual seat, right? DS is currently in a Cosco Alpha Omega Elite, which says it can be used up to 80 pounds, but my 32-pound, 39-inch DS is already outgrowing the shoulder-strap height. I feel that he's way too little yet (he's 3y3m) for a booster and just got curious about the laws surrounding the issue, which is why I started this thread.

I was hoping to be able to use our current seat until he was ready for a booster, but it looks like that's not going to happen. I guess my next task is to find a carseat with extra high shoulder strap slots -- any (economical) suggestions?


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

i just saw the graco nautilus http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...00000003260330

you could find one in a store and check out your kid in the seat to see how much room they have to grow. if you aren't comfortable with graco, then there is always radian, recaro, and of course, britax.

eta - the alpha omega does not harness to 80 pounds (you might know that, i wasn't sure from your post). i believe it is only until 35? maybe 33?


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aja-belly* 
eta - the alpha omega does not harness to 80 pounds (you might know that, i wasn't sure from your post). i believe it is only until 35? maybe 33?

Holy crap, you're right! I totally forgot that there was a cut-off where it could only be used as a booster. Thank you so much for reminding me -- I'll get out the manual today and make sure, since DS is already 32 pounds. Looks like we'll be needing a new carseat for sure, then -- thanks for your suggestions.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The AO goes to 40lbs FF, and I think 35 RF. And of course any FF carseat is outgrown if the child's shoulders are even a smidge above the highest harness slot.

As for high shoulder slots, with yoru ds's age you could do a ff only carseat like the nautilus. You could also go with the Evenflo Triumph Advance ($130 or $150), Sunshine Kids Radian 65 ($199) or Britax Regent ($280 I believe).


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The law does specify "properly restrain" which usually means if the child in the seat does not meet the seats minimums the parents can be held liable (ie ds's seat says it can't be used ffing until 1 year and 22 lbs so if a parent had a 6 month old ffing they are not complying with the law).


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

At that size and age I'd really want to go with a regent personally. It will keep him harnessed longer than anything else. Second choice would be a radian or a recaro (signo or como)

Not cheap choices, but in the higher weight/age range I really feel like you get what you pay for.

good luck!

-Angela


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I've been wanting to keep our choice below $200, but we'll be getting a large tax return soon, so maybe the Britax will be an option soon. I wish I had known about the AO's low shoulder slots before I bought two of them (one for each car)!


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

I would definitely look at the new Graco, it looks really nice and seems to have slightly higher slots than the Radian.


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## venusthrow (Nov 10, 2007)

thanks for posting this question. I live in California and I vaguely knew the law but I didn't know exactly what the law is. Unfortunately many people I know have been told the wrong things by police officers.


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