New CA Law Changes Booster Seat Rules

"That won't change under the law Newsom signed. But beginning in 2027, children from 8 to 16 years old will have to pass a five-step test to be considered properly restrained by a seat belt under California law. If the driver of a vehicle can't answer "yes" to all of these five questions about their seat-belted child passenger, the driver could get a ticket and fines of $490. Does the child sit all the way back against the seat? Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat? Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm, resting on the collarbone? Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?"

"Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed a watered-down version of Assembly Bill 435 that originally proposed to ban smaller teenagers from sitting in the front seat and to require short-statured youth to use booster seats into their middle school years. But enough of the Democrats who control the Legislature balked at ending the time-honored tradition of teens calling "shotgun" to ride in the front seat."

"The bill's proponents said the point is to encourage children and their parents to stay in booster seats until they've grown tall enough for a seat belt to fit them properly. The new rules are in line with recommendations public health officials and the California Highway Patrol have for years encouraged parents to follow."

A new California law modifies enforcement standards to keep shorter children in booster seats longer. Lawmakers rejected an original proposal to ban smaller teenagers from the front seat and to require boosters into middle school, instead adopting a measure that changes how officers assess seat-belt fit. Current booster-seat age and height rules (until age 8 or 4 foot 9 inches) remain unchanged. Starting in 2027, children ages 8 to 16 must meet a five-step seat-belt fit test; drivers who cannot answer "yes" to all five questions risk tickets and $490 in fines. Supporters say the change encourages appropriate booster use and aligns with safety recommendations.

Read at San Jose Inside