Rhode Island Child Seat Laws

Motor vehicle accidents account for the most deaths in children ages 5 through 19 and the second leading cause of death for children age 4 and younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The proper use of a child safety seat is one of the best ways to reduce the chance of death or injury in a motor vehicle accident. Like all 50 states, Rhode Island has specific laws regulating the use of child safety seats in a motor vehicle.

  1. The Law

    • Unlike other states in the country, Rhode Island does not mandate the specific seat you need to use while transporting a child in a motor vehicle. Rhode Island child safety-seat law states that any child under the age of 8 who weigh less than 80 and is shorter than 4 feet 9 inches must ride in a child restraint system located in the backseat of a vehicle. The only exception to the child restraint law is if no backseat is available in the vehicle because a backseat does not exist or the backseat is transporting other children.

    AAP Recommendations

    • While the state of Rhode Island does not spell out what type of seat to use while your child is in a motor vehicle, which are rear-facing, forward-facing or booster seat, the American Academy of Pediatrics has a set of recommendations for parents to follow when deciding what seat to use for a child. Children should ride in a rear-facing car seat until age 2 or when the child exceeds the weight or height limit for the rear-facing seat. When you move your child to a forward-facing seat, he should remain forward-facing in a harness until he exceeds the weight or height limit of that seat. Your child should remain in a booster until he is at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, according to the AAP.

    Using Seat Belts

    • When your child outgrows her booster seat -- between the ages of 8 and 12 -- she can move to sitting in a vehicle using only a seat belt. Rhode Island law mandates that every occupant of a vehicle over the age of 8 or taller than 4 feet 9 inches, must use a seat belt at all times when riding in a vehicle. If your child is between the ages of 8 and 12 she mist ride in the backseat of a vehicle unless a backseat is not available.

    Fines

    • As of 2013, if you violate the Rhode Island child restraint law, you are subject to a fine of $85 payable to the State of Rhode Island. If you can produce proof of purchase for an approved child restraint system within seven days of the citation, the state of Rhode Island will void the citation.

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