Keep Kids Safe, Follow Nebraska Car Seat Laws

NEBRASKA- According to Drive Smart Nebraska, “Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages birth to 13.” Here are some helpful tips to make sure your children are safely restrained in the vehicle at all times.
The latest change to Nebraska’s child passenger law was enacted in January 2019. The new law states:

UP TO AGE 2

Children must ride rear-facing up to age 2 or until they reach the upper weight and height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer

UP TO AGE 8

Children up to age 8 must ride in a correctly installed car seat or booster seat. They must also ride in the back seat, as long as there is a back seat equipped with a seat belt and it is not already occupied by other children under eight years of age.

Top Tips about Car Seat Safety

Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent in the event of an accident. In 2017 alone, 325 children under five-years-old were saved by car seats.

Buying the right car seat. A baby needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible until 2 or more years. When the child has outgrown that seat, they are ready for a forward-facing car seat. Get more details about buying the right car seat for your child.
Installing the car seat. Decide whether to use the seat belt or lower anchors to secure your car seat. Both are safe but both should not be used at the same time. Once the child is forward-facing, it is important to use the tether with the seat belt or lower anchors. Get more details about installing a car seat.
Getting the right fit. A properly-fitted harness gives the best possible protection for a child. Here are more details about getting the right fit.
When to change a car seat. Look on the car seat label to make sure the child is still within the weight, height, and age limits for that seat. Get details about when to change a car seat.

NHTSA Helpful Links

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has multiple options on its website to help find the correct car seat for your child by helping you find and compare brands of car seats. The site also offers car seat installation tips and explains different seat components to help determine which are compatible with your vehicle.
NHTSA offers a tool to receive a free car seat inspection.

Whether you’ve just installed the car seat or need help installing or using one, a certified technician in your area can inspect the car seat free of charge, in most cases, and show you how to correctly install and use it. Search for a technician in your area.

It’s also important to register your car seat to receive recalls and safety notices from the car seat manufacturer. You can do that here. Additionally, you can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts from NHTSA about car seat and booster seat recalls to make sure your child remains safe.

For more information visit the Nebraska Department of Transportation website. dot.nebraska.gov/driving safety or visit https://drivesmartne.org/