In this post, I’ll be discussing the nuts & bolts of Idaho Car Seat Laws in the best possible manner that I could.
Moreover, I’ll also be responding to the queries related to Idaho car seat laws in order to help you clear your doubts.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin…
A rear-facing car seat is a must for any child of Idaho who is less than 24 months old and satisfies the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer.
Once your kid has crossed the upper limits of height and weight, he or she can upgrade to a forward-facing car seat.
Again, your child needs to be in a forward-facing seat till the time he or she has surpassed the upper limits of height and weight limits set by the manufacturer.
Your child can move to a booster seat once he or she is taller than 4 feet 9 inches.
However, your child needs to wear a full shoulder and lap belt even when she is in the booster seat.
As per the Idaho car seat laws, any passenger in a car or any other private vehicle must wear a seat belt.
Idaho car seat laws follow many of the same outlines as the car seat laws in other states.
Needless to say, the primary goal is to keep children safe when riding in the vehicle.
All of the laws in place are meant to help meet this goal.
It totally depends upon parents whether they want to prolong any of these laws to help enhance the safety of their children.
For example, many parents like me and you prefer to keep their children rear-facing even after 2 years in order to provide the best safety to their kids.
Idaho Rear-Facing Car Seat Laws
As per the Idaho car seat laws, all infants and toddlers must be in a rear-facing seat while riding in a car.
Any child in Idaho must be in a rear-facing car seat at least for the first 24 months after his or her birth.
However, the child may turn around when they have surpassed a rear-facing car seat’s height and weight limits.
At the same time, if your child has surpassed the 2-year age mark but hasn’t crossed the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer then he or she has to be rear-facing.
The height and weight limits are set by the manufacturer of the child safety car seats so some seats will definitely have a higher limit than their counterparts.
[Also Read]Forward Facing Car Seat Laws In Idaho
Once your kid has crossed the two years of age as well as the height and weight upper limits of a rear-facing car seat, he or she can be upgraded to a forward-facing car seat.
However, we at izzysmarthomeguide.com recommend parents wait for a longer duration before moving their children to a forward-facing car seat if the children are smaller in size.
Moreover, a child needs to stay in a forward-facing car seat till the time, he or she reaches the upper limits of a forward-facing car seat.
Most forward-facing car seats are capable of holding a weight in the range of 40 and 65 pounds.
In layman’s terms, a child can be forward-facing for up to 4 years of age.
Idaho Booster Law
Once your child has crossed the weight and height limits of a forward-facing car seat, he or she can be upgraded to a booster seat.
You can either choose a backless booster seat or a booster seat that comes with a back for additional support.
A backless booster seat is a viable option for grown-up kids.
While using a booster seat, make sure a full shoulder and lap belt are used by your child.
As per the Idaho car seat laws, you should never use just a lap belt with a booster seat.
What Are The Height And Weight Requirements For a Booster Seat?
The weight requirement varies tangibly depending on the booster seat brand that you opt for.
For more details, you can visit this link.
However, when it comes to height requirement it is 4 feet 9 inches for almost all the booster car seats.
Older Than 8 Years Old
As per the Idaho car seat laws, any child who has crossed the 8-year age mark may ride in a car or other private vehicle without a booster seat.
However, for not using a booster seat, a child must be at least 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Furthermore, the child must always wear a seat belt when he is in a moving vehicle.
Also, all the passengers in a car irrespective of weight and height must wear a seat belt.
Idaho car seat laws haven’t mentioned any particular age at which a child can start sitting in the front passenger seat.
However, it’s always good to keep your child in the backseat for as long as possible as the middle of the backseat is the safest position in a car.
Idaho Seat Belt Laws
Idaho car seat laws also include seat belt laws which say that it is illegal to travel without a seat belt in Idaho for both passengers as well as drivers.
And, the law holds true for everyone irrespective of age, weight, or height.
Adult violators 18 and older will receive a $10 citation if pulled over without wearing a seat belt.
When can my child sit in the front seat in Idaho?
A child can sit in a front seat in Idaho once he or she has crossed the 14-year age mark.
Idaho Car Seat Laws in Trucks
Frankly speaking, Idaho car seat laws require the same rule for car seats in trucks as they do in other vehicles.
Children should stay either rear-facing or forward-facing depending upon the weight and height limits set by the manufacturer.
In order to avoid injuries, you need to keep all car seats away from active airbags.
Moreover, you need to use the shoulder and lap belts on all the children who sit in a booster seat.
As mentioned earlier, the safest place for a child in a moving vehicle is in the middle of the backseat.
However, if there are multiple children traveling in a truck then the oldest among them should sit in the front seat if all the back seats are already occupied.
Exceptions to the Laws
- If all the seat belt positions in the vehicle are in use, then the child should be placed in the rear seat of the vehicle if it has one
- If the child is removed from the seat because the mother has to nurse them or attend to their other needs
Penalties For Violating Car Seat Laws
If a child isn’t in a safety seat, the penalty is an $84.00 fine. Subsequent violations carry a $90.00 fine.
Buses, Taxis, and Uber
On school buses, seat belts aren’t required.
However, the drivers need to be properly trained in order to prevent any unprecedented event.
Moreover, they need to have a CDL license, and two endorsements for it – one for driving a school bus, and another for driving a school bus with passengers.
However, if your child is riding in a taxi or an Uber, he or she must use a car seat.
In case, the taxi doesn’t have one then the parents need to provide it to their kids.
Installing the Car Seat Properly
As per the Idaho car seat laws, a car seat needs to be properly installed before it is put to use.
By doing so, you’ll be able to secure your child during a car crash or any unprecedented event.
When it comes to properly installing a car seat, you must follow the instructions mentioned in the manual in order to prevent any last-minute misadventure.
Once you’ve installed the car seat, the next important thing that needs to be done is to test whether the installation is up to the mark or NOT.
All you need to do is to try moving your car seat back and forth and up and down.
Well, if your car seat moves more than an inch in any direction then the probability is quite high that it isn’t properly installed.
Previous Idaho Car Seat Law
As per the previous Idaho car seat law, a child must be rear-facing till the time he or she crosses the 12-month age mark and/or 20 pounds.
A convertible or front-facing car seat is a must for the age group of 1 to 6 years and/or 40 pounds.
Moreover, any child in the age group of 6 to 15 years must use a lap and a shoulder belt.
Car Seat Programs for Idaho Residents
Let’s have a quick look at some popular car seat programs that are offered for Idaho residents.
In case, you’ve got a doubt or a query feel free to reach out to us via the contact form, and our core team would be more than happy to assist you.
Does it make sense?
St. Luke’s Children’s Car Seat Program
Frankly speaking, car seats are definitely among the most expensive items that one will buy for their kids.
Correct me, if I’m wrong.
However, the good news is, that one hospital has a program that helps Idaho residents by providing FREE or reduced-price car seats.
In case, you’re a resident of Idaho and want to reap the benefits offered by this program then all you need to do is to contact St. Luke’s Children’s Car Seat program at 208-381-3033.
Safe Kids Magic Valley Car Seat Program
Another popular program that helps low-income families by providing free or reduced-priced car seats is the Safe Kids Magic Valley Car Seat Program.
You can also contact the Safe Kids Magic Valley Car Seat Program at St. Lukes’s at 208-814-7640, or email them at carmam@slhs.org.
WHALE Program
Well, if you’re a resident of Idaho then the probability is very high that you would’ve heard about the WHALE program.
WHALE program is abbreviated as We Have A Little Emergency Program.
The unique thing about this program is that it provides a special identification card to children in case they are involved in a crash.
Make sure your child puts the card on the seat as it helps the rescue workers to find out the child’s name and other information related to your child.
In fact, the card also has your child’s photograph on it.
The kit provided also includes stickers for parents to put on the car seat and the vehicle. Contact the Idaho Department of Highway Safety to get a kit or find out more information.
If you choose to participate in this program, keep the following pointers in mind:
- It’s a good idea to give WHALE information to other people who regularly drive your child
- Make corrections to the card as information changes
- Remove the information card from the seat if you sell it or give it away
It’s A Wrap
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for being with us till the end.
Secondly, I would like to bring to your notice that I along with my core team have put loads and loads of effort into coming up with this idiosyncratic superlative piece of information on the topic IDAHO CAR SEAT LAWS.
And, in case, you liked our effort and want to appreciate us then please do share this post with like-minded people and the ones who are searching for it.
After all, sharing is caring, isn’t it?
Cutting long-story-short, the Idaho car seat laws are in place in order to help keep your child safe and secure while he or she is in a moving vehicle.
In order to prevent any injuries during a car crash or any unprecedented situation, you need to follow the Idaho car seat laws.
Needless to say, if everyone is using car seat laws in a proper manner then definitely, everyone is safer on the road.
That’s all, as of now :):)
