In this post, I’ll walk you through various aspects of Vermont car seat laws to help you in the best possible ways that I can.
Furthermore, I’ll be responding to the queries related to Vermont car seat laws in order to clear your doubts.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin…
Like other cities and states, Vermont also has car seat laws in place to keep the children safe and secure.
The Vermont car seat laws are the same for both residents and visitors.
We would be discussing these laws based on child age and size.
However, if you’re driving in Vermont and don’t abide by the law then you may face serious consequences.
It’s always good to be safe than sorry so having a proper update about Vermont car seat laws can save you both time and money, isn’t it?
The article talks about Vermont car seat laws’ height and weight limits by age categories.
As per the Vermont car seat laws, all infants under 12 months must use rear-facing safety car seats.
Moreover, an approved child restraint is a must for any child under 8 years of age.
Similarly, a child whose age falls under the 8 to 16 years category must use an approved child restraint or a seatbelt system.
Vermont Car Seat Safety Law
As per the Vermont car seat laws, any child whose age is less than 8 years must use any form of child restraint.
On the other hand, any child whose age falls in the range of 8 and 18 years must use either the vehicle’s seat belt system or the child restraint.
In order to make things simpler and easier for you, we’ve broken down the statement by age and size categories.
Does it make sense?
How old do you have to be to sit in the front seat in Vermont?
As per the Vermont car seat laws, any child can sit in the front seat if he or she reaches the 13 years of age mark.
A back seat is a must for any child whose age is still less than 13 years.
[Also Read]Rear-Facing Vermont Car Seat Law
To be honest, all infants below 12 months of age and less than 20 pounds must ride in a rear-facing approved safety child seat.
At the same time, parents need to ensure that the rear-facing seat isn’t placed in front of an active airbag.
Furthermore, the VT car seat law recommends that a child should be rear-facing for at least 2 years if not more.
However, the longer the duration in the rear-facing car seat the better it is.
Forward-Facing Vermont Car Seat Law
A child restraint is a MUST for any child of Vermont whose age falls in the range of 1 and 8 years and weighs more than 20 pounds.
Both a convertible and an approved forward-facing seat are viable options.
Child Booster Vermont Seat Law
Like the aforementioned law, a child whose weight is more than 20 pounds and whose age falls in the range of 1 and 8 years can ride in either a booster or a convertible car seat.
The Five-Step Booster Test
In order to know, whether your kid is ready to be out of a booster seat or NOT, your child needs to go through the 5 steps test recommended by Vermont’s Seat Smart Program.
- Does your child sit all the way back against the vehicle seat?
- Does the lap belt fall below the stomach and touch the thighs?
- Is the shoulder belt centered on the chest and shoulder?
- Can your child place their feet on the floor with their knees bent over the seat edge?
- Can your child comfortably sit this way for the entire ride?
From my past experience, all I can say is that your child may fail the 5 steps test in one vehicle and pass in another vehicle.
Well, if the answer to any one of the aforementioned questions is NO, then definitely, your child isn’t ready to forgo his booster seat.
Lap-Shoulder Seat Belt Law
Any child of Vermont whose age falls in the range of 8 and 18 years must use a safety belt system in case, he or she isn’t using an approved child restraint.
As per the law, the child must remain in a booster seat till the time the seat belt fits properly.
Vermont’s Four Stages of Seat Safety
Well, in order to help parents like you and me determine safety seat readiness, Vermont has devised the following car seat stages:
- Infants and young toddlers should use a rear-facing seat installed in the vehicle’s back seat. This is until they reach the seat height and weight limits
- Children may ride in a forward-facing seat installed in the back seat until they reach the height and weight limits
- Children should ride in a booster seat in the back seat until the vehicle’s seat belt system fits properly
- When children outgrow the booster they should sit in the back seat and must use the seatbelt system
Vermont Car Seat Law for Taxi/Uber
Many of our readers wouldn’t be aware of the fact that the only vehicle that is exempted from the Vermont car seat laws is none other than the Type 1 school buses.
What actually it means is that your child must have the appropriate seat or restraint if he or she is traveling in a hired taxi or Uber.
Accident Replacement Guidelines
Frankly speaking, the Vermont car seat law hasn’t mentioned anywhere that you’ve to replace a child safety seat after a car accident.
However, the NHTSA recommends the child safety car seat be replaced after every car accident irrespective of whether the seat has visible damage or NOT.
Furthermore, most car seats have a lifespan of 6 years so afterward, they must be replaced with newer ones.
Using an expired car seat or a car seat that has been involved in an accident can put your child at risk so I would suggest you should never compromise or negotiate on these parameters as it may do more bad to your child than good.
I’m reiterating the quote, It’s always good to be safe than sorry.
Leaving a Child in a Car
I was shocked to know that there isn’t any law regarding leaving a child unattended in a car or a hired vehicle including a taxi and/or Uber.
Smoking in a Car with a Child
In the state of Vermont, it is illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child.
What Happens If I Don’t Follow the Law?
Vermont issues fines to individuals not following car seat laws. They are:
- 1st offense: $25.00
- 2nd offense: $50.00
- 3rd offense: $100.00
Looking for Help?
The state of Vermont has many fitting stations where a Nationally Certified CPS (Child Passenger Safety) Technician can check your car seat and installation for free.
They can also provide information and instruction on child safety. You can find a location here.
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 of Vermont 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 in search of it.
After all, sharing is caring, isn’t it?
To cut a long story short, we’ve tried to the best of our capabilities to cover all the important information in one place.
In fact, Vermont has four stages of seat safety laws, that is, rear-facing, forward-facing, booster, and seatbelt.
In order to prevent any unprecedented situation, your child needs to abide by these laws.
The law helps you to understand which restraint your child should be using at a particular age.
Unfortunately, the Vermont car seat law doesn’t specify the age at which a child can ride in a front seat.
However, we at izzysmarthomeguide.com recommend our clientele, 13 years as the minimum age for a child to ride in the front seat of a vehicle.
Last but not least, regardless of the location where a child sits in a car, he or she must be buckled for sure.
That’s all, as of now.
