Car Seat Law in Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky ?

[bigsis1970]

Hi I am wondering if anyone can tell me if there is a car seat law in Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky..? Ours in Maine is under 8 years and/or 80 lbs needs a booster seat.. Just wondering if I need to bring ours for my son ( he is 6 and 45 lbs ) Thanks Michelle

and if i do then does it count as a luggage item meaning restricting me to just one suitcase for myself ? Thanks

 

[madge]

Kentucky is 40 inches the last I heard...but the general assembly is in the process of changing the seat belt law to 80 lbs/8 yrs

hope this helps!

 

[welovedis]

Michelle-Sorry I don't know about the luggage aspect but I can help with the state laws:

FL: Birth to 3 they must be buckled in a car seat. 4-5 car seat or belt, 5 + up belt is fine.
http://www11.myflorida.com/safety/HighwaySafetyGrantProgram/hsgp/HSGPAreas_OccupantFAQ.htm#Florida's%20Child

KY: less than 40 inches--must be in a car seat.
http://www.kytc.state.ky.us/drlic/general.htm

TN: Birth-4 and/or less than 40 pounds, must be in a car seat, over 40 pounds can be in a booster or just buckled.
http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/ClickItorTicket/faq.htm#12

For some of the info you have to scroll down the page.
Looks like you will be fine if you choose not to take the car seat. I know he will not be allowed to use the booster on the plane ride so it will have to be checked. I am assuming it would count as a piece of luggage but you might want to check with your airline's website.
HTH!


BTW-I don't personally agree with the low limits on ages, height or pounds as I am a car-seat tech and do car seats checks. I think Maine's law is the best!

 

[jel0511]

I can't help you with the laws, but if you check the booster seat, it will count towards your luggage allowance. If you're bringing your son with you, he will also have 2 pieces of checked bags as well, allowing you 4 bags total.

 

[welovedis]

Depending on who you are flying with will determine how many bags you can check & carry on. I know from experience that SWA lets each ticketed passenger check 3 bags and then carry-on 1 bag plus 1 "personal-type" item for each ticketed passenger as well. So I think you would be ok consideringthat for you and a ticketed child that would mean 5 checked bags + car seat and 2 carry-on bags, plus something like a purse and a kid's bag. Unless you pack like me and seem to take the house with you-lol!

HTH!

 

[3yL]

Everytime I get ready to come here and ask a question, I usually find it's already recently been asked!

Just to make sure I'm understanding alright, if we need to bring a car seat and a booster seat (possibly 2 boosters), they each will count as a bag (against the per-person limit)?

Does it matter if the car seat is going to actually be used on the plane?

On the plane our youngest is really the only one who needs to be in a car seat, but in FL we're renting a van and we'll need 2 - 3 seats. I believe they are quite expensive to rent from the car rental agency? (3 seats, even at just $5 a day, would run us $150.00 - yuck ) Is it a real pain to take the booster seats (they aren't just the seat parts, they are the full back ones.) Legally, from the site posted above, only our youngest needs a seat, but I'm much more comfortable with them all in seats.

 

[welovedis]

3yl-the seats or seats you use for the flight that the child will actually sit in do not count as a bag at all. But the seat or seats that are not used during the flight do count as a piece of checked luggage. Also if your child is using a carseat during the flight it needs to be an approved seat and not a belt-positioning booster (like the high back boosters are).

Hope this helped out and did not confuse your any further.

I'm not sure how many are flying or what airline you are going on though. Hope you are able to pack enough since it seems you'll be there for a bit!

 

[bigsis1970]

Thank you soo much for the info.. I think I will take it ( i am flying SW ) then he won't be in it here and out there.. I will just tell him its the same law ... ( he is 47.5 inches ) plus he may do better on the 11 hour trip we have to take to KY if he can see better out the windows.. Thanks again.. Michelle

 

[welovedis]

Glad I could be of some help Michelle. Great idea about taking it as he will be safer when you use it for the car trip portion.
Have a great trip!

 

[jel0511]

3yL - If you go to Babies R Us and buy one of the car seat bags, they're only $20 - $25, you can fit both of your boosters in one. Those bags are HUGE, and they'll also protect your boosters from any damage by the airlines.

 

[Gillian]

Delta does NOT count a checked child restraint seat or checked stroller against your baggage allowance. Delta also says that car seats/boosters & diaper bags taken on to the plane do not count toward your carry on limit. This information is on their website. I just did a search on stroller.

Children paying for a seat on Delta get their own baggage allowance, same as an adult.

It seems to depend on the airline, so be sure to check if you think you might be close to the limit.

 

[welovedis]

Right, that is pretty much what I was talking about. However, as I stated above, everyone should check with their individual airline to see what their regulations are. I was referring to SWA as the OP is flying with them and they do count a car seat that is checked (not used on the flight) as a piece of checked baggage for one passenger. Hope this clarifies!

 

[MARGARETMOUSE]

WELOVEDIS-

What about the seat belt laws in NY? Could you point me to a website re: this? Thanks!

 

[welovedis]

Margaret Mouse-here's the best NYS car seat FAQ I have:
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/sesa-faq.htm

It is pretty comprehensive and gives lots of the state codes/laws to back up the info.

HTH!

 

[3yL]

Originally posted by jel0511
3yL - If you go to Babies R Us and buy one of the car seat bags, they're only $20 - $25, you can fit both of your boosters in one. Those bags are HUGE, and they'll also protect your boosters from any damage by the airlines.

I have one of those bags! I got it during a sale at one of the online baby stores about a month ago. I'd have never thought of using it for the seats though, thanks!

 

[E&B's Mom]

Just wanted to comment. To me it does not matter what the law is anywhere. Most states have laws that are far less restrictive than what actual safety dictates. I believe the American Academy of Pediatrics (I may be giving the name of the org. wrong) has issued an opinion that in order for children to be considered safe in a vehicle they must be in a rear-facing seat up to at least 20lbs and 1 year, and then a front facing restraint up to 40 lbs, abd then a booster-type seat up to 80lbs. My DD is 7 and rather small (only 48 lbs now). She was in a front-facing car seat until she was well into kindergarten and is still in a booster. She knows that most of her friends' parents don't make them sit in boosters, but has never objected to it because we have never given her a choice.

Also, please be sure that whatever seat you use it is installed correctly! My SIL visited last week with her 3 month old son and was shocked when I showed her that her seat wasn't any where near installed correctly! The thought of what could have happened on their 5 hour drive up put her into shock. If you have any concerns call the local police or fire station. They may have someone certified to show you how to intall it!

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by E&B's Mom
My DD is 7 and rather small (only 48 lbs now). She was in a front-facing car seat until she was well into kindergarten and is still in a booster. She knows that most of her friends' parents don't make them sit in boosters, but has never objected to it because we have never given her a choice.

We are in a similar situation. Our DD is tiny, 6.5 years old but weighs only 37 pounds. She has outgrown the harness in height as the instructions say the harness slots must be above their shoulders. So, even though she isn't 40 pounds, we have her in a high back booster using the seat belt.

She may be a teen before she reaches 80 pounds!

Peggy

 

[E&B's Mom]

We joke that our DD7 will be riding to her Bat Mitzvah in a booster seat!