Louisiana’s New Car-Seat Law Goes into effect on August 1, 2019. What’s Different?

by: Sonja Bradley
A look at the new car-seat law in Louisiana that goes into effect on August 1, 2019.

Governor John Bel Edwards signed a new car-seat law that will save lives. This bill requires better restraint of children while traveling in vehicles. After lawmakers examined accident statistics and the resulting injuries and deaths of children in vehicular accidents, they decided to take steps to update the law concerning child restraint.

The current law has been in place since 1984 and updated once in 2009. The new law will go into effect on August 1, 2019, and is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The new law, based on standards adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, takes effect Aug. 1 and is intended to put children in car seats designed for individual weights and heights. In general, the guidelines require that:

  • Children under 2 must ride in rear-facing child safety seats;
  • Children ages 2-4 must ride in a forward-facing seat with an internal harness if they have outgrown a rear-facing seat;
  • Children ages 4-9 must ride in a booster seat secured with a lap/shoulder belt; and
  • Children ages 9-12 can ride without a booster seat if their knees bend over the front edge of the seat, their back is against the seat back and the seat belt crosses their chest and not their neck.

Click this link for more detailed information from http://www.lsp.org/pdf/child_passenger_seat.pdf

Also, you can have a free car seat inspection and installation at sites throughout the state, a list of which can be found at www.lahighwaysafety.org.

If you need to hire an attorney call, Sonja.

Sonja Bradley your Attorney in Hammond Louisiana, Denham Springs, Louisiana, Ponchatoula Louisiana, Livingston Louisiana, Walker Louisiana, Albany Louisiana, Amite Louisiana, and Surrounding Areas

Sonja Bradley J.D., Sonja received her undergraduate degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law. Sonja is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the 21st JDC Bar Association. She has 21 years of legal experience.