In this post, I’ll walk you through the nuts & bolts of Minnesota Car Seat Laws in order to help you in the best possible that I can.
Moreover, I will also be responding to queries related to Minnesota car seat laws in order to help you clear your doubts.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin…
Well, it goes without saying that having proper information about Minnesota car seat laws could be of great help if you’re driving in Minnesota.
On top of it, a safe car seat can protect your kids during a car crash or any other unprecedented situation.
According to the Minnesota Child Passenger Restraint Law, if a child is transported in a motor vehicle in Minnesota then they should be properly restrained in their seats all the time, and it is solely the responsibility of the person who is transporting the child.
Needless to say, in this post, we’ve covered all the car seat laws including forward-facing, rear-facing, booster, and seat belt laws.
Minnesota Rear Facing Car Seat Laws
As per the Minnesota rear-facing car seats, a child must stay in the rear-facing safety car seat till the time he or she has bypassed the height and weight limit of the seat set by the manufacturer.
Rear-facing car seats are mainly of two types, that is, rear-facing only, and rear-facing convertible.
Your child can ride in a convertible rear-facing car seat till the time she is below 2 years of age and weighs less than 50 pounds.
On the other hand, infant car seats are popularly known as rear-facing and only are used for an infant who weighs less than 22 pounds.
However, some infant car seats have a weight limit of 35 pounds.
It’s always good to dress your kid in thinner layers as thicker layers may cause the straps to be loose which could adversely impact your child during a car crash or any unprecedented event.
Minnesota Forward Facing Car Seat Laws
According to Minnesota Law, any child who weighs more than 65 pounds and /or has crossed the 4 years of age can sit in a forward-facing car seat.
However, a combination forward-facing car seat can hold children in the range of 40 & 120 pounds, depending upon the car seat model.
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Needless to say, once your child has crossed the weight and height limit of a rear-facing car seat then he or she has to switch to a forward-facing car seat.
However, when switching from a rear-facing to a forward-facing car seat, as a parent, it is your sole responsibility to ensure that the shoulder straps are just above the child’s shoulders.
You might be wondering what if my car only has a lap belt in the back seat?
Well, in that case, a travel vest can be used as an alternative to a forward-facing car seat for children whose weight falls in the range of 20 and 168 pounds.
Minnesota Booster Car Seat Laws
According to Minnesota Booster Car Seat Law, a child who surpasses the weight and height limit of a forward-facing car seat should be in a booster car seat till the time he or she has reached 4 feet 9 inches in height or is older than 8 years.
Moreover, if your child is older than 8 years but hasn’t crossed the 4 feet 9 inches height and/or weight limit set by the manufacturer then he or she should be in the booster seat till 12 years of age.
The Minnesota booster law states that a booster seat should have a properly fitting belt that goes across the lap and the shoulder.
As a responsible parent, you must be aware of the fact that the safest place for any child younger than 13 years is the middle of the back seat.
Things You Must Know When Using A Booster Car Seat:
- In general, a booster seat uses the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt and doesn’t come with a harness
- What actually a booster car seat does is, raise the child to a proper height so that the lap & shoulder belts fit them properly
- A booster seat simply rests in a vehicle and doesn’t secure it
- Make sure the lap belt sits across the upper thighs, snuggly
- The shoulder belt should be positioned in such a way that it rests in the middle of the child’s chest
- Make sure the belt is positioned on the shoulder and isn’t lying on your child’s neck
- A high-back booster seat is a viable option for smaller children and comes with a harness that the child can be buckled into
Seat Belt Law
According to Minnesota seat belt law, make sure your child rides in the back seat of your vehicle till the time he is less than 13 years of age, and must be properly buckled with the seat belt.
A child can rely on a lap and shoulder seat belt only if he is large enough to have the seat belt fit him.
RVs & Trucks
People who drive pickup trucks with airbags that do not have a shut-off cannot drive infants that are one year of age or under 2o pounds.
Moreover, if your child rides in motor homes and RVs then they don’t have an option but to follow the Minnesota car seat laws.
However, your child shouldn’t ride in the bed of a pickup truck.
Special Needs Restraint System
You may be wondering what if my child has special needs, mentally & physically, and the doctor has also advised against restraints, or may be your child has medical needs that make using a restraint system unsafe?
Let’s explore some options that are available as of now.
- Vest restraints- These types of restraints are used with the tether strap in order to give protection to the upper portion of the child’s body
- To be honest, some restraints have been specifically made to keep the interest of a child with special needs protected
- A child who is premature and fragile can reap the benefits of a car bed
Child Passenger Restraint Penalties
To be honest, there are quite a few penalties that residents of Minnesota may have to face if they aren’t abiding by the rules and regulations of child passenger restraint laws.
When it comes to penalties, the driver is always considered a responsible party.
Any person operating a vehicle with a child that is 8 years of age and shorter than 4 foot 0 inches that is not in a child passenger restraint system (including a seat belt) will face a violation of a petty misdemeanor.
Furthermore, any person who is operating a vehicle without the proper child passenger restraint system will have to pay a fine of up to 50 dollars.
In order to reduce the fine, the driver has to show shreds of evidence that he has purchased a child passenger restraint system that meets the federal motor vehicle safety standards, within 14 days of the violation.
Nonetheless, if you’re the parent of a disabled child and have been pulled over for NOT following child passenger restraint laws then in that case, you need to produce a statement from the doctor in the court or the office of the arresting officer.
The fine collected from parents for not following the child passenger restraint system laws goes to the state treasury and gets credited to an account with the name Minnesota Child Passenger Restraint and Education Account.
In fact, the money present in this account is used to help low-income families by providing them with a low-cost or FREE restraint system.
Car Seat Help for Low-Income Families
Well, if you’re on a shoestring budget and can’t afford a good quality safety car seat for your child.
Then, in that case, you can refer to Minnesota programs that give out free seats to low-income families.
Below is the list of such programs.
In case of any doubts or queries, feel free to reach out to us via contact form and our core team would be more than happy to assist you.
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- North Valley Public Health in Warren, Minnesota
- Inter-County Nursing Service in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
- Polk County Public Health in Crookston, Minnesota
- Safe Kids Grand Forks in East Grand Forks, Minnesota
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in East Grand Forks, Minnesota
- Mahnomen Public Health in Mahnomen, Minnesota
- Walk-in County Public Health in Breckenridge, Minnesota
- Otter Trail County Sheriff’s Office in Ottertail, Minnesota
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
- Life Connections in Alexandria, Minnesota
- Countryside Public Health-Big Stone in Ortonville, Minnesota
- Southwest Health and Human Services in Marshall, Minnesota
- Helping Hand Pregnancy Center in Worthington, Minnesota
- Nobles County Community Center Services in Worthington, Minnesota
- Human Services of Faribault and Martin in Fairmont, Minnesota
- Mower County Health and Human Services in Austin, Minnesota
- Chatfield Ambulance in Chatfield, Minnesota
- Filmore County Public Health
- Winona County Community Services
- Rice County Public Health Nursing in Faribault, Minnesota
- Mille Lacs County in Milaca, Minnesota
- Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department in Onamia, Minnesota
- Cass County HHVS in Walker, Minnesota
- St. Joseph’s in Park Rapids, Minnesota
- Mahube-Otwa Community Action in Park Rapids, Minnesota
- Todd County Health and Human Resources in Long Prairie, Minnesota
Used Car Seats
Frankly speaking, we at izzysmarthomeguide.com don’t recommend buying a used car seat because knowing the real condition of such car seats is a bit tricky.
And, failing to do so can put the life of your child at RISK.
However, because of whatever reasons, you’ve finally decided to buy a used car seat, so make sure you follow the below-mentioned tips.
- The used car seat must not be more than 6 years old
- The seat shouldn’t have been recalled previously
- If the used car seat was previously a part of a car accident no matter how small or big, NEVER buy it
- Make sure the used car seat has all the instructions and labels in place
- Most importantly, you must know the owner of the car seat
FAQs
Let’s have a quick look at some of the frequently asked questions on the topic “Minnesota Car Seat Laws”.
What are the height and weight requirements for a booster seat in MN?
Booster seat laws in Minnesota apply to kids until they reach a height of 4 feet 9 inches or 8 years of age.
Different manufacturer has different height and weight limits, so you need to have a clear idea about these limits for the booster car seat that you’re planning to purchase.
In general, the manufacturers’ requirements are a minimum of 4 years old, 40″ tall, and 40 pounds.
When can a child go from a car seat to a booster seat in Minnesota?
In Minnesota, all children must be in a child restraint until they are 4’9” tall, or at least age 8, whichever comes first.
What are the requirements for a child to sit in the front seat in Minnesota?
Minnesota doesn’t have any law for seating in the front seat. However, the Office of Traffic Safety recommends that your child sit in the back seat until they are 13.
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 in coming up with this idiosyncratic superlative piece of information on the topic of MINNESOTA 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?
As a parent protecting your children is one of the most important things that you must do.
Moreover, by following the MN car seat laws and the cell phone laws, you can keep your child safe and secure.
Of course, failing to do so will lead to a penalty.
Needless to say, every parent in Minnesota must be aware of Minnesota car seat laws in order to keep their children safe and secure while they are in a moving car.
That’s all, as of now:):)
