Child Car Seat Laws in Indiana: What You Need to Know
Here’s some good news for parents in Indiana: Car accident-related child fatalities are on the decline. According to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute, which tracks police-reported road accidents around the state, four children were killed per 1,000 people involved in crashes in 2016. That reflects a 14-percent annual decline since 2012.
Clearly, more parents are making sure their children are safely buckled up when they take to the road. About 86 percent of all children involved in accidents are restrained at the time of the collision.
Properly fitted and age-appropriate child safety seats are highly effective at preventing deaths and serious injuries. For this reason, child safety restraints have been made compulsory for all children under the age of 15 in Indiana.
Keeping your kids safe in the car may come naturally to you, but a serious accident can happen at any time due to another driver’s recklessness. If you or your child was hurt by a negligent motorist, contact a Gary personal injury attorney at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC to discuss your situation.
For more than 30 years, our car accident lawyers have built a strong reputation litigating complex, high-value personal injury and wrongful death cases. Call 219-769-2900 to set up a free consultation.
Child Car Seat Laws in Indiana: What You Need to Know
The number of children killed in car accidents across Indiana may be declining, but bear in mind that over 3,500 child injuries and fatalities were reported in 2016 alone. This may be partially because an estimated 85 percent of child safety seats are used incorrectly, according to Indiana State Police.
No matter how many times you have fastened your children into their car seats, it is always worth taking a few extra seconds to ensure they are properly secured. Doing so could help prevent serious injuries and keep them alive in the event of a crash.
New parents have a lot on their minds, and if you have not yet had the time to read up on what the law says about child car seats in Indiana, here’s a quick primer:
- Children under the age of 1 and weighing less than 20 lbs must be restrained in a rear-facing child safety seat. It is recommended that you keep your children in rear-facing seats for as long as possible;
- Children over the age of 1 and weighing over 20 lbs may be secured in a forward-facing child safety seat, and it must be fitted with an internal harness system;
- Children who weigh more than 30 lbs may make use of a booster seat, although parents are encouraged to restrain children in a forward-facing seat system until at least 40 lbs; and
- Children under the age of 8 should use a child restraint system as per the manufacturer’s instructions, which are usually based on a child’s height and weight measurements; and
- Children up to the age of 16 are required to use a seat belt, child restraint system or booster seat while traveling in a moving motor vehicle.
These laws have gone a long way to reduce the number of child fatalities on Indiana’s roads, but accidents still happen. If your child has been hurt in a crash through no fault of your own, contact a car accident lawyer at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC.
Our clients appreciate the knowledge and commitment we bring to their cases and our willingness to work closely with them, keeping them fully informed so they can make the right decisions. Call 219-769-2900 to arrange a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys today. Read more about car accident injury claims in Indiana at the USAttorneys website.
Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC
1499 Martin Luther King Drive, #64215
Gary, IN 46401
219-769-2900
