According to Arizona State Law, children under the age of 8 or under 4 feet 9 inches tall must be in a child restraint system.
Rear Facing, Forward Facing, Booster Seats
Arizona doesn’t specify which seat to use at which age, however, using the wrong seat can easily result in serious injury or death.
- Rear Facing: A recent report released in August 2018 from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests keeping children in rear-facing car seat restraints until they meet and exceed the manufacturer’s recommended weight & height threshold. Most manufacturers nowadays make rear-facing restraints that are able to handle children up to 40 pounds. While this is a good rule of thumb, it’s critical for parents to check their manufacturer’s specific height & weight recommendations in their seat’s instruction manual.
- Forward facing / Convertible: Once your child exceeds the height and weight specifications of a forward facing seat, they can go to a booster. This is often after they’re 40-50lbs, but be sure to check the specifications of your car seat. The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat, for example, hols kids up to 50lbs.
- Booster: The law is to keep children in a booster until they’re 4 feet, 9 inches tall or taller. While Arizona law allows children to graduate to no booster after the age of 8, waiting until they’re 4’9″ will statistically keep them much safer and prevent spinal damage in the event of many types of accidents.
Arizona Law last updated in 2012:
Arizona House Bill 2154 was signed by the Governor on May 9, 2012 and went into effect August 2, 2012. This law basically made booster seats mandatory for children 5-8 years old and under 4’9″. There were indeed kids born in 2005 that were 7 that had been out of a booster that were supposed to go back into one.
Arizona Car Seat Resources
Below are some helpful resources for parents and caretakers in Arizona who transport children in a vehicle.
- Arizona State Law ARS 28-907
- Arizona State Law says that child restraint systems must be correctly installed based on this: 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 571.213
- Phoenix Car Seat Inspections
- Scottsdale Car Seat Inspections
- Mesa Car Seat Inspections