As the databases concerning car accidents and injuries indicate, approximately sixteen children lose their lives in car crashes each year.
For this reason, the Louisiana government officials proposed and accepted various regulations, Louisiana car seat laws, and recommendations.
For those of parents who might be unfamiliar with those facts, there are more than five hundred safety technicians and instructors who can help you make sure your little ones are safe and protected during the ride.
Since research shows that almost 96% of the child restraint systems are inappropriate, their job is to deliver to you how to place and install car seats correctly and suggest convenient car seats according to children's age and development.
Let's see what are the safety laws here!
Louisiana Car Seat Safety Laws
On June 27th, 2019, the LHSC - Louisiana Highway Safety Commission consisting of various health, transportation, and safety representatives and officials, proposed the safety laws to prevent car crashes and children's death.
The safety law mirrors the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations, and it's based on the best practice on the national levels.
The main idea is to keep children in their recommended car sets as long as possible.
Of course, the seats should be according to their ages, weight, height, and development.
They must follow the manufacturer's instructions as well.
Moreover, parents/future parents should place and install the car seats in the back seat.
The law also proposes the rules where children under the age of thirteen must sit in the back, with the shoulder and lap belts.
Louisiana Safety Law for Toddlers
If your little one is an infant, or between zero and two years old, you should place him/her in an infant rear-facing car seat or into a convertible child safety car seat.
This way, the infants will have the best possible protection, and nothing wrong will happen to them even in the case of a car accident.
Highly importantly, you must place them in the back, away from airbags.
In the case of a car crash, airbags can be fatal since they operate with too much force.
Read more —
Louisiana Safety Law for Two-to Four Year Olds
According to the law, all children who are two or younger must use the rear-facing car seats.
They can only use the forward-facing car seats if they outgrow rear-facing car seats in weight or height.
However, if your children are between two and four years old, they can use forward-facing car seats.
Of course, forward-facing car seats must have an internal harness safety system.
Louisiana Safety Law for Four-to-Nine-Years-Old Children
With the next developmental stage, we come to the booster car safety seats.
The law implies that kiddos between four and nine years old can freely use these seats.
Further, these seats must be followed by the shoulder and lap seat belt for higher protection and safety.
Also, the straps must pass the five-step tests for proper and secure use.
When Can My Children Sit in the Front Seat in Louisiana?
According to the new law passed on August 1st, 2019, all children younger than thirteen must sit in the appropriate car seats and the back, never in the front seats.
Only after they are fourteen or older they can sit in the front car seats.
Naturally, they must use appropriate seat belt systems in every seat and position.
Is It Illegal If I Leave My Kid Alone in the Car in Louisiana?
Yes, it is! Parents are not allowed to leave their little ones alone in cars in Louisiana!
If you break this law, you're going to pay a $500 fee and probably go to prison for six months.
If you repeat this action for the second time, you will pay $1,000 for law-breaking and go to jail for one year.
Am I Allowed to Smoke in the Cars with the Child/Children in Louisiana?
No, you are not! As the car seat safety law implies, the state of Louisiana prohibited smoking in the cars with the children passengers.
Whoever breaks this car seat safety law will have to pay a $150 fee for breaking the regulations, and the judge will convict the person in question with a minimum 24h of community service.
Therefore, please don't smoke in the car with children if you want to dodge this situation.
Taxis and Car Seat Safety Laws in Louisiana
As various safety laws include multiple motor vehicles, there are some exceptions.
One of these is taxi companies.
As the car seat safety laws show, taxis do not have to obey the safety laws concerning car seats and child passenger safety.
Many parents find them unsafe for their babies, so they frequently resort to other solutions to protect their babies.
Frequently, they contact rent-a-car companies with the appropriate car seat or rent-a-seat from good companies.
Of course, you should do a little research before you get the seats if they are available at all, or somewhere near you.
Car Seat Replacements after an Accident in Louisiana
After a car crash in this US state, you should follow the NHTSA recommendations since the law does not regulate the replacement of the seats here.
You'll also find that car seats do request the reserve if they reach the expiry date.
Read more —
Louisiana Car Injury Attorneys
If you had an injury due to a car crash, and don't know which insurer to call, whether to call the police or receive compensation for your injuries, we have a solution.
Namely, you can always call injury attorneys for their free consultations to find what would be your next step.
Therefore, you can contact Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers since they are very successful attorneys in their field, and they can help you and guide you to solve your problems.
As they work 24/7, you can call them on (866)-720-7920, or send them an email.
Other Helpful Places for Car Seats in Louisiana
1. Louisiana Highway Safety Fitting Stations
2. Safety Technicians
3. NHTSA Car Inspection Center
4. East Jefferson General Hospital
5. Jefferson Parish CSSP
6. Riverside Medical Center
7. Maryellen Jenkins
8. Louisiana State Police
These are only some of the places/persons where you can search for help concerning your car seats.
Final Thoughts - Summary
As you can see, this state has multiple and various Louisiana car seat laws. Moreover, many of them are similar to other US states' safety laws.
However, there are some differences, and you have to obey the rules and regulations if you don't want to pay fees for law abolitions, and keep your children safe during shorter or longer trips.
Most importantly, you should follow the propositions concerning children's development and put them into the right car seats approved by manufacturers.
Just follow the basic rules, and everything will be okay!
I hope this article helped you gain the necessary information regarding Louisiana's safety car seat laws, especially if you're a Louisiana resident.
If it happens to be so, please let me know!
