Ah yes, the age old question for any parent with young children: when can I rid my car of this terrible booster seat safely? Although it is extremely important for children to use booster seats, it doesn’t change the fact that booster seats a true hassle—not only do they take up space, they also are such a pain to install and re-install! So we’re glad you’re here—knowing what age your child can travel without a booster seat isn’t a cut and dry answer, so we’re here to help you navigate through the process of determining when your child can travel without a booster seat once and for all.

Dans cet article, j'inclurai les lois et statuts individuels de chaque État qui doivent être suivis en ce qui concerne les sièges d'appoint. Il est important de les savoir pour que vous voyagiez légalement avec vos enfants à mesure qu'ils grandissent!

J'inclurai également dans cet article des moyens de garantir que vous voyagez en toute sécurité avec votre enfant, car les lois et les statuts des États ne tiennent pas toujours compte de cette connaissance. Voir ci-dessous pour un test facile en 5 étapes sur la façon de voir si votre enfant est prêt à voyager sans siège d'appoint!

À quel âge un enfant peut-il voyager légalement sans siège d'appoint?

Il existe deux types de suggestions concernant l'âge auquel un enfant peut voyager sans siège d'appoint: le légal l'âge auquel un enfant peut le faire et l'âge auquel un enfant peut le faire en toute sécurité. Certains États préfèrent obliger un enfant à s'asseoir dans un siège d'appoint jusqu'à ce qu'il soit sûr de ne pas le faire que d'autres.

If you’re a parent looking to find the legal age your child can travel without a booster seat, see the list below for your state. There is paraphrased information on the legal age a child must use a booster seat for each state in this article—click on the hyperlink for your state for more detailed information.

• Alabama – children must use booster seat until age 6
• Alaska – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until at least 65 pounds in weight
• Arizona – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 8 or until 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Arkansas – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 6 or until at least 60 pounds in weight
• Californie – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 8 or until 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Colorado – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 16
• Connecticut – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 60 pounds in weight
• Delaware – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until at least 65 pounds in weight
• Floride – children must use child restraint system until age 6
• Géorgie – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Hawaii – children must use booster seat/child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Idaho – children must use child restraint system until age 6
• Illinois – children must use child restraint system until age 8
• Indiana – children must use child restraint system until age 8
• Iowa – children must use child restraint system until age 6
• Kansas – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or until 80 pounds in weight or 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Kentucky – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 57 inches in height
• Louisiane – children must use child restraint system until age 9
• Maine – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 80 pounds in weight or at least 57 inches in height
• Maryland – children must use booster seat until age 8
• Massachusetts – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 57 inches in height
• Michigan – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Minnesota – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Mississippi – children must use child restraint system until age 7
• Missouri – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or at least 80 pounds in weight or 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Montana – children must use child safety restraint until age 6 or at least 60 pounds in weight
• Nebraska – children must use child safety restraint until age 8
• Nevada – children must use child safety restraint until age 6 or at least 60 pounds in weight
• New Hampshire – children must use child restraint system until age 7 or at least 57 inches in height
• New Jersey – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 57 inches in height
• Nouveau Mexique – children must use child restraint system until age 6 or at least 60 pounds in weight
• New York – children must use child restraint system until age 8
• Caroline du Nord – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 80 pounds in weight
• Dakota du nord – children must use booster seat until age 8
• Ohio – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Oklahoma – children must use child restraint system until age 8
• Oregon – children must use booster seat until at least 40 pounds in weight or at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Pennsylvanie – children must use booster seat until age 8
• Rhode Island – children must use child restraint system until age 8 or until at least 57 inches in height or 80 pounds in weight
• Caroline du Sud – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 57 inches in height
• Dakota du Sud – children must use booster seat until age 5
• Tennessee – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Texas – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Utah – children must use booster seat until age 8 or at least 57 inches in height
• Vermont – children must use booster seat until age 8
• Virginie – children must use child restraint device until age 7
• Washington – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until at least 4 feet and 9 inches in height
• Washington DC – children must use child restraint system until age 8
• Virginie-Occidentale – children must use child safety device until age 8
• Wisconsin – children must use booster seat until age 8 or until 80 pounds in weight or 57 inches in height
• Wyoming – children must use child restraint system until age 8

The above information provides just a paraphrased version of the laws and statutes for each state—some states have very detailed information on the different types of restraints that children should use as they grow up. If you are looking for more information on laws regarding seat belts, car seating for infants, when your child can sit in the front passenger seat, and more, click on your hyperlinked state.

À quel âge un enfant peut-il voyager en toute sécurité sans siège d'appoint?

There is a difference between what the state requires and what is recommended by professionals when it comes to child travel safety. There are many different facets that must be looked at before determining if a child is ready to travel without a booster seat. You cannot simply look at age alone—because each child is unique, it is important to look at each child’s weight and height before deciding if they are ready to be without a booster seat!

It is important to note that there are many, many different types of car seats for children. Let’s take a quick look at the different types of seat below:

• Orienté vers l'arrière: ce type de siège auto est recommandé pour les nourrissons et les jeunes tout-petits
• Orienté vers l'avant: ce type de siège de soins est recommandé pour les tout-petits et les enfants d'âge préscolaire; les professionnels recommandent des sièges d'auto orientés vers l'avant avec harnais pour ces âges
• Booster: this type of car seat is usually backless and simply elevates a child in a car seat; boosters use your vehicle’s seat belt to buckle them in properly—boosters are usually recommended for children between the ages of 4 and 8

Les sièges d'appoint sont généralement le dernier type de siège d'auto que les enfants utilisent avant de pouvoir s'asseoir dans la voiture en utilisant uniquement les ceintures de sécurité. Il existe des sièges d'appoint avec et sans dossier, et il appartient à chaque parent de déterminer ce qui est le plus sûr pour son enfant.

Professionals recommend that children use booster seats until between the ages of 8 and 12. But that’s a big age gap—which age is best to stop using a booster seat?

Le meilleur âge est déterminé par le poids et la taille de votre enfant, comme le suggèrent certains États dans leurs lois et statuts. Les professionnels recommandent généralement qu'un enfant utilise un siège d'appoint jusqu'à ce qu'il ait atteint la hauteur de 4 pieds et 9 pouces.

Un moyen facile de vérifier si votre enfant est prêt à voyager sans siège d'appoint en toute sécurité

Heureusement pour les parents, il existe un moyen facile de voir si un enfant est prêt à cesser d'utiliser un siège d'appoint. Essayez ce test en 5 étapes avec votre enfant. Faites asseoir votre enfant dans la voiture sans siège d'appoint et attachez-le avec une boucle de voiture ordinaire.

1. Où la ceinture de sécurité repose-t-elle sur votre enfant? Est-ce qu'il repose au milieu de la poitrine et au milieu de l'épaule?
2. Votre enfant peut-il s'asseoir avec ses fesses jusqu'au dossier du siège?
3. Can your child’s feet touch the floor with their knees bending at the edge of the car seat?
4. Does the lap of the seat belt rest across your child’s hips and upper thighs?
5. Votre enfant peut-il s'asseoir confortablement comme ça pendant aussi longtemps que nécessaire?

If you answer no to any of these questions, your child likely isn’t ready to travel without a booster seat quite yet. Wait at least 3-4 months before trying this test out again. Children grow fast!

But what if my child can legally ride without a seat belt but didn’t pass this test?

You are not legally required to use a booster seat if your child fits the legal requirements of your state. We aren’t here to tell you want to do—it is up to you as a parent to determine what is best for your child! With this in mind, this five-step test is to determine whether or not it is safe for your child to travel without a booster seat.

Professionals recommend that you wait until your child passes this test before ridding the booster seat for your child’s safety. Don’t worry—it’s only a matter of time until your child is ready to travel without one!

Conclusion

When it comes to booster seats, any parent, babysitter, or nanny can tell you just how annoying they are. But it is important to follow the laws of your state and test for your child’s safety before getting rid of the booster seat. In this article, we provided information on the various laws and statutes that each state holds surrounding child safety in vehicles.

Bien que certains États soient très favorables à la création de lois qui gardent à l'esprit la sécurité des enfants sur la base d'opinions professionnelles, d'autres ne le sont pas. Dans cet article, nous avons fourni un test en 5 étapes que vous pouvez facilement utiliser pour tester et voir si votre enfant est prêt à voyager sans siège d'appoint.

Nous espérons des voyages en toute sécurité pour vous et votre famille, et nous espérons que cet article a pu vous donner un aperçu de la façon de voyager légalement et en toute sécurité avec ou sans siège d'appoint!