Nevada Car Seat Standards …and why you should use them!
It used to be, one of the most dangerous places for your children to be was in a car, but over the years, with stricter and stricter car seat laws, your kids are now much safer. Though the laws may vary from state to state, it is always better to err on the side of caution, not only for you little ones’ lives, but also so that you won’t get into trouble with the law.
Some people may think, “My baby is only 10 pounds, I can hold 10 pounds in my lap with no problem!”
What they don’t realize is that even in a crash where the car is going as slowly as 30 miles per hour, the force at which the body is thrown can be 30 to 60 times their weight. So now that 10 pound baby is going to feel like 300 pounds. Could you hold a 300 pound man on your lap in a crash? I didn’t think so.
In the state of Nevada, a child should be in a car seat until they are 6 years old or over 60 pounds. Babies should be in a rear facing seat until they are at least one, though since that is the safest way for your child to sit, you can consult with your car seat owner’s manual and see what the rear facing weight limit is. It is best to keep them facing the back for as long as possible, but don’t exceed the weight limit as in an accident, that can do more harm than good.
Between the ages of 1 and 3, the car seat should face forward. You can go to a fire station when it’s time, and they can show you how to install a front facing seat. At some point you as they near the age of four, or even after they turn four they will start to grow out of there seat. This does not mean that they are ready to sit in the adult seat yet. This means that it’s time for a booster seat.
According to Nevada law, a child must stay in a booster seat until they are 8 or taller than 4’9″. This height requirement is to insure that the adult seat belt will fit them correctly. The lap strap must fit snugly across their upper thigh, and the shoulder strap should fit on their shoulder and not cross their face or neck. In the event of an accident, a seatbelt that is not on correctly can turn a survivable accident fatal.
Here in the silver state, if you are caught with your child not correctly in their car seat, you could be fined from $100-500 for the first offense, $500-1,000 for the second offense, and after that you can expect more fines and even a license suspension. Young children cannot be held responsible for car safety knowledge, it’s up to the parents to teach them.
The laws may seem strict, but the lives of our children are priceless. It is better to be overly cautious beforehand than to beat yourself up with “would haves” and “should haves”.