Lawmakers are trying to prevent unnecessary vehicle injuries using Michigan’s new car seat laws.
The new laws went into effect on April 2, 2025 and mandate that children under two years old sit in a rear-facing car seat, among other rules.
Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. These new laws aim to prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries to all kids.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “estimates that correctly used child restraints reduce traffic crash fatalities by 71 percent for infants younger than 1 year old and by 54 percent for children 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars,” the Michigan State Police said in a press release.
The nitty gritty on Michigan’s new car seat laws
The Michigan State Police released a breakdown of the new laws for parents and caregivers:
- Infant to two years: A child must be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 2 years old.
- Two to five years: The child can then move into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 5 years old.
- Five to eight years: The child can then move to a belt-positioning booster seat using a lap-and-shoulder belt until they are 4 feet 9 inches or 8 years old.
- All children under 13 years: Must ride in the rear seat of a vehicle if the vehicle has one available.
How to find the right car seat for your child
All children must sit in a car seat suited to their height, weight and age. Figuring out which seat configuration is correct can get tricky, especially if children fall outside of the standard height and weight for their age.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a handy, interactive guide for parents to correctly choose a car seat appropriate for their child. Taking the time to make sure a child is secured safely in the correct car seat could save a life.
