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Children
up to age 8 or 80 pounds must ride in a safety
or booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle.
If there is no rear seat, the child must sit
in the front seat secured by a safety or booster
seat. |
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Children
under age 8 who weigh more than 80 pounds must
wear a seat belt anywhere in the vehicle. |
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Passengers
age 8 to 18 (regardless of weight ) must wear
a seat belt anywhere inside a vehicle. |
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| Why
was New Jersey's child passenger safety law
upgraded? |
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Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause
of death for children between ages 4 to 14.
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More
than 1,700 children under age 15 died in motor
vehicle crashes in 2000, with the majority not
in a safety seat or seat belt. |
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| The
4 Steps to Child Passenger Safety: |
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Infant
seats, designed for
children up to 1 year old and, usually 20 pounds
in weight. Infant seats are always positioned
rear-facing |
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Forward-facing
seats, designed for
children between 20 and 40 pounds. Toddler seats
are always positioned forward-facing. |
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Booster
seats, designed for
children between 40 and up to 80 pounds. Booster
seats raise a child so the vehicle's lap-and-shoulder
belt fits properly and allow the knees to bend.
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Seat
Belts Adults, please set the proper example!,
New Jersey law requires drivers and adult front
seat passengers to wear their seat belts.
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| New
Jersey's Booster Seat Law |
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Under
the new law, children under age 8 or weighing
less than 80 pounds are required to be in a
booster seat, in the rear of the vehicle. Passengers
over age 8 and under 18 are required to be in
a seat belt anywhere in the vehicle. |
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Frequently
Asked Questions About the Law: |
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Q.
- My son is 7 years old and weights 83
pounds. Is he required to be in a booster seat?
A.
- No.
When the child has reached the 80 pound plateau,
he is no longer required to be in a booster
seat. He is required to wear a seat belt. |
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Q.
- My daughter is 8 years old but only
weights 76 pounds. Does she need a booster
seat?
A.
- When
she reached the age 8 she is exempt from the
booster seat portion of the law, but is required
to be in a seat belt. |
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Note:
In both of these cases,
the children are exempt from the booster seat
section of the law, however the seat belt system
may not fit them properly. although a booster
seat may not be required, it may still be needed
to insure proper fit on the child. The lap belt
should fit over the child's pockets or upper
thigh and across the chest and shoulder. |
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Booster
seats must be used with a lap/shoulder belt
system. |
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| Parents
have asked what remedies are available
for vehicles equipped with lap belts
only in the rear seating position.
The following four options may be used
to address these concerns: |
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Britax
Super Elite: This seat has
an internal harness system rated to 80
pounds. |
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Britax
Marathon: This seat has an
internal harness rated to 65 pounds. |
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Nania
Airway: This seat has
an internal harness rated to 65 pounds. |
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Easy
On Vest 86Y Universal Harness:
This vest is rated from 40 to 164 pounds
and requires a tether anchor. This product
is available from Jersey Bus Sales, Bordentown,
NJ, 609-298-2987. EZ
On Products, 800 323-6598.
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The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
recommends retro-fitting
vehicles with lap shoulder belts, if possible,
as another alternative. |
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