Georgia Child Safety Seat Laws

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Atlanta personal injury attorney Jeffrey H. Dover has authored this eye-opening new report that helps Georgia
parents and caregivers understand the latest Georgia child safety seat laws and also what they can do to make sure their children are as safe as possible when riding in a motor vehicle. Get this FREE Consumer Guide Today.

Protecting your children in the car is something that all parents think about. When we shop for cars, we look for all the safety features: anti-lock brakes, airbags, side airbags, front and rear crash sensors, electronic stability control, etc. But if your child isn’t safely belted into their seats, it doesn’t matter how safe the rest of your car is.

35 children under the age of 5 will die each year in Georgia, but car seats will save the lives of another 280 children a year.

Many people believe that it is safe to hold young children in the car and that safety seats are not necessary. This is a myth. In a 30-mph crash, a 10-pound baby can fly forward with a 300-pound force. The child can be impossible to hold onto in head-on collisions, resulting in tragic deaths.

The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety recommends the following four steps for the best possible protection for children riding in motor vehicles:

Rear-facing seats -- Infants up to one year old AND 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing safety seat secured in the back seat. Infants may be placed in convertible seats or infant-only seats. Important note -- rear-facing child restraints should never be placed in front of an active airbag.
Forward-facing seats -- When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at a minimum age of one and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward facing child safety seats in the back seat until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
Booster seats -- Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats they should ride in a forward facing booster seat, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belt fits properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4' 9" tall). This positioning avoids abdominal injuries in the case of a crash.
Seat belts -- Once children outgrow their booster seats (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall) they can use the adult seat belt in the back seat if it fits properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

The Georgia Department of Health website has a list of child safety seat fitting stations. If you have any questions about car seat safety or installation, you can call your local Health Department office to ask if car seat installation classes are available.