Keeping children safe on the road is one of the most important responsibilities for Arizona parents. Proper use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts can make the difference between a preventable injury and a tragic outcome.

This guide from Harris Injury Law explains Arizona’s car seat laws, outlines the state’s age requirements, and offers practical tips on keeping young passengers properly secured. If your child was injured in a car accident, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options under Arizona law. If your child was injured in a car accident, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options under Arizona law.

Understanding Arizona’s Car Seat Laws

State Requirements Under A.R.S. § 28-907

According to Arizona’s car seat laws (A.R.S. § 28-907), every child under five years old must be restrained in an appropriate car seat or child safety seat that meets federal safety standards.

• Infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing car seats until they reach the height or weight limits specified by the manufacturer.
• Preschool-aged children who have outgrown a rear-facing seat should move to a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether strap.
• School-aged children who exceed the maximum weight limit or height limit for forward-facing seats must transition to a belt-positioning booster seat.

These child restraint systems apply whether a child is riding in the front seat or back seat, though safety experts strongly recommend keeping children in the back until at least age 13.

Why Proper Car Seat Use Matters

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), correct use of child safety seats can reduce fatal injury risk by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. Unfortunately, data from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) shows that child passengers are still injured in car accidents every year because their car seats weren’t installed correctly or the harness straps didn’t fit properly.

A properly secured child restraint system ensures that in a car crash, force is distributed to the child’s upper thighs, shoulders, and chest, not the soft abdomen. This helps prevent serious physical injury and keeps the child’s body stable within the vehicle seat.

Rear-Facing Car Seats: The Best Protection for Infants

Age and Weight Recommendations

A rear-facing car seat offers the best protection for babies and small toddlers because it cradles the child’s head, neck, and spine during impact.

Under Arizona law, parents should keep infants in rear-facing seats until they reach the manufacturer’s weight or height limits. Most rear-facing car seats accommodate children up to 35 pounds or about two years old, though some convertible car seat models extend this limit further.

Installation and Fit

To keep your child safe, make sure:

• The rear-facing seat reclines at the correct angle.
• The harness straps lie flat and snug against the child’s chest.
• The tether strap (if included) is connected according to the manufacturer’s guide.
• The seat is installed correctly and does not move more than one inch in any direction.

Local resources such as Mesa Fire & Medical Department’s child-seat checks can help parents verify that their car seats are properly installed.

Forward-Facing Car Seats: Transitioning Safely

Once a child surpasses the rear-facing seat’s weight limit, it’s time to switch to a forward-facing car seat equipped with a five-point harness and tether strap.

Using Forward-Facing Seats Properly

• The harness should rest at or above the child’s shoulders.
• The shoulder belts and lap belt must fit snugly over the child’s chest and upper thighs, not the soft abdomen.
• The seat should be anchored to the vehicle seat using either LATCH connectors or the vehicle’s seat belt.

Keeping a child in a forward-facing seat until they reach its maximum weight limit (often 65 pounds) provides better protection in a crash.

Booster Seats: Protecting Older Children

When to Move to a Booster Seat

Children typically move to booster seats once they outgrow their forward-facing car seats, usually between ages 4 and 8.

A booster seat raises the child’s body so the lap belt and shoulder belt fit correctly. Booster seats ensure that:

• The lap belt lies across the child’s upper thighs, not the stomach.
• The shoulder belt rests across the chest, not the neck or face.
• The knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat.

Children should stay in a belt-positioning booster seat until they reach 4’9” in height or about 80–100 pounds, when seat belts will fit correctly without assistance.

Seat Belt Laws and Older Children

When a Seat Belt Alone Is Enough

Once a child is big enough to wear a seat belt properly, with the lap belt low on the hips and the shoulder belt crossing the chest, a booster seat may no longer be necessary.

However, Arizona law requires all children under 16 years old to be properly restrained by a seat belt whether they sit in the front seat or back seat.

Under Arizona’s seat belt laws, failing to secure a child can lead to fines and points against the driver’s license.

Proper Seat Belt Positioning

For older children:

• The lap belt should touch the upper thighs, never the abdomen.
• The shoulder belt should cross the middle of the chest and shoulder, away from the face.
• The child should be able to sit back with knees bent comfortably at the edge of the seat.

Common Mistakes with Car Seats

Parents often believe that once a seat is installed, their child is automatically protected. Yet studies show that nearly half of all car seats are installed incorrectly. Common errors include:

• Using the wrong car seat model for the child’s age or weight limits.
• Allowing too much slack in the harness straps.
• Placing the seat in the front seat with an active airbag.
• Forgetting to switch from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat at the right time.

Always consult the car seat manual and your vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines. Many fire departments and hospitals in Phoenix and Mesa offer free car seat installations or safety checks.

Keeping Children Safe in Car Accidents

Even with proper restraints, car crashes can still cause injury risks for children. Common injuries include whiplash, soft-tissue injuries, and concussions, particularly if a child’s head strikes the seat or window.

Experienced car accident lawyers understand how devastating these cases can be for families. At Harris Injury Law, our attorneys handle personal injury claims involving child passenger safety seats, ensuring families receive fair compensation for medical expenses, therapy, and emotional trauma.

How Proper Restraint Systems Reduce Injury

Physics of Protection

A car seat drastically reduces the force exerted on a child’s body during an impact. In a crash, a properly fitted child restraint system:

• Spreads crash forces across the child’s chest and upper thighs.
• Prevents forward ejection and reduces the chance of serious injury.
• Keeps the child correctly aligned with the vehicle seat to minimize spine and head trauma.

When restraint systems meet federal safety standards and are installed correctly, they significantly lower the risk of preventable deaths among young passengers.

Child Passenger Safety Resources

Arizona families have access to several organizations dedicated to child passenger safety:

• ADOT – Child Passenger Safety
• Phoenix Fire Department Car Seat Installation Program
• Mesa Fire and Medical Department Car Seat Checks
• NHTSA Car Seat Safety Center

These programs help ensure car seats are installed correctly and that restraint systems meet state laws and federal safety standards.

When Negligence Leads to Child Injuries

When a child passenger is hurt because of another driver’s negligence, the emotional and financial toll can be overwhelming. Personal injury claims involving children often include complex medical evaluations and long-term rehabilitation costs.

Our team has experience working with families after car accidents involving children:

• Distracted or impaired drivers
• Defective child restraint systems or vehicle seat failures
• Reckless behavior by another driver involved

We work to pursue compensation for the child’s medical bills, counseling, and future care needs while helping parents focus on recovery.

About Harris Injury Law

NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME!

If you’ve been searching for the best car accident lawyer in Phoenix, AZ, look no further than Harris Injury Law. Our team helps parents and families handle both car accident and work accident claims with compassion and precision.

• We focus on personal injury law and workers’ compensation matters.
• We support families pursuing legal action after car accidents involving children or car seat issues.
• We operate on a contingency fee basis, no fees unless compensation is obtained.
• We provide direct access to Attorney Jason Harris, available 24/7.

About Attorney Jason A. Harris

Jason A. Harris brings over 16 years of experience handling personal injury cases and car accident claims throughout Arizona. His dual focus on personal injury and workers’ compensation gives families a unique advantage when injuries intersect with medical or employment issues.

He has resolved thousands of motor vehicle accident cases, including those involving child passenger injuries and defective car seats. Jason approaches each case with compassion and a client-focused mindset.

“After our daughter was injured in a car crash caused by another driver, Jason Harris helped us understand Arizona’s car seat laws and handled everything with compassion. We never paid upfront, and he kept us informed until the case settled.” – Phoenix Parent Client

Keeping Arizona’s Children Safe

Arizona parents have the power to prevent serious injuries by following state laws and ensuring every child safety seat is fit properly and installed correctly.

Simple steps, like checking weight limits, using the back seat, and keeping rear-facing car seats as long as possible, can save lives.

If your family is coping with a car accident involving a child, Harris Injury Law is here to help you understand your legal options and protect your child’s future.

Contact Harris Injury Law

Harris Injury Law
1136 E Campbell Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85014
Call or text (480) 800-HURT to schedule a no-obligation, free consultation.