What are Delaware Car Seat Laws?
Welcome to the Delaware Car Seat Law Explained in Simple, Plain English!
You have found just the perfect spot to brush up on your car seat laws in the state of Delaware.
Look:
I have three kids myself and used to be a paralegal in a past life, and I know how hard it is to find certain laws, plus then you have to understand them as well.
This is why I’ve put together this short and to-the-point guide explaining the car seat laws in Delaware so that even the most sleep-deprived parent understands it.
If you’re looking for booster seat laws, rear-forward facing mode or questions related to taxis you will find the answers here.
Let’s get started already!
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By reading this article you agree that it’s for informational purposes and I can’t be held liable for the best advice ask the appropriate person.
Delaware Booster Seat Laws
Strangely, the law forces the 65 pounds rule for booster seats. This means that if your child weighs more than 65 pounds, they can go without it. However, there are manufacturers who allow the booster seat up to 80 or even 120 pounds.
Delaware Rear-facing Car Seat Laws
In the state of Delaware, there’s no difference made between rear and forward-facing. Now, if you’re looking to get the best protection for your little one, I agree with the experts that all kids should be rear-facing up to the age of 2.
There are some European countries that enforce the rear-facing up to the age of 4 simply because it’s the safest way to travel.
Delaware Forward-facing Car Seat Laws
There’s no limit set for forward-facing. In this case, it’s best to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible or until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of the rear-facing car seat.
Delaware Taxi Car Seat Laws
Taxis are exempt from the above car seat rules. As a safety-conscious parent, I always advocate using a car seat because you can never know when an accident can happen, so it’s best to be prepared.
When Can My Child Sit in the Front Seat in Delaware?
The law is quite clear when your child can sit in the front, and it is either the age of 12 or weighing more than 65 pounds. You can get fined if you break this law.
Delaware Car Seat Laws at a Glance
Now let’s take a look at Delaware’s car set laws as a whole:
Car Seat Law (Title 21 Section 4803)
Law: The law states that if you have kids under the age of 8 and weigh less than 65 pounds, then they have to restrain in a car seat that is suited for their age, weight and height.
- If you have a child older than 8 but younger than 16 or weigh more than 65 pounds, then you should use the car seat belt for security.
Location in car: According to the law, you will have to keep your child sitting in the back until they are either 12 years old or taller than 65 inches.
Taxi: Taxis in the state of Delaware are exempt from the above car seat rules. However, I still recommend using the proper car seat because you will never know when an accident happens.
RideSafer legal: Yes. The Ride Safer travel vest qualifies for children who are at least age 3 and 30 pounds.
Fines: $25
Seat Belt Law
- Law: All passengers in the vehicle above the age of 16 must use the seat belt.
- Fine: $25
- RVs: For RVs, the rule is the same all passengers have to use the seat belt while kids have to use the adequate child restraint.
What is the law concerning Leaving kids in the Car in Delaware
There’s no law governing this aspect. So you can either take your child with you or have somebody who’s at least 12 years old looking after them.
Is it Illegal to Smoke in a Car with a Child in Delaware?
It’s not illegal to smoke while taking kids in a private car; however, you should think twice because secondhand smoke can cause many illnesses and deaths as well.
There’s a strict rule, however, if kids are transported in a group from or to daycare, schools or other organizations that, these vehicles have to be smoke-free.
Conclusions on Delaware Car Seat Laws
We have reached the end of this article.
I hope you have found the answers you’ve been looking for. I’ve done my best to break down complex and dry law language into something that’s easily understood.
No fluff or anything, only the key info that you need to keep your kids safe on the roads.
If you happen to have questions or if I’ve forgotten something, let me know. I will do my best to reply and correct the error.
Maybe you can help me out by sharing this post so other parents can know exactly how to keep their kids safe and avoid fines in the process. Thank You!
Before hitting the road to Maryland here are the up to date car seat laws
The rules differ from state to state so to get the newest Maryland car seat laws check out my easy to understand post right here.
Are you taking your kids to Pennsylvania here’s how you keep them safe on the road
Let it be an infant, toddler or young adult the Pennsylvania car seat laws apply to all of them. You can read them here in an easy to understand fashion.
Related: NJ car seat laws
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the booster seat laws in Delaware?
The booster seat law in Delaware states that all kids under the age of 8 and weighing less than 65 pounds must be secured by a booster seat.
When can a child face forward in car seat, Delaware?
There’s no law governing when your child can face forward. However, if we look at expert recommendations, they all say that a child should be rear-facing until the age of two, and after that, you can start forward-facing.
Can an 8-year-old sit without a car seat?
Yes, an 8-year-old who weighs more than 65 pounds can sit without a car seat simply by using the seat belt.
Who can help me with installing car seats?
Some car seats are notoriously hard to install this is why it’s a good idea to child passenger safety technician for help. You see a child passenger safety technician can help your with the correct installation of: convertible car seat (let it be rear facing car seat or forward facing seat), rear facing convertible seat, forward facing car seat such as booster seats.
Which are the safest car seats?
The safest car seats are the infant carriers and a rear facing car seats. As you know a rear facing car seat offers the most protection in a case of a crash. So let your child remain rear facing for as long as possible. Children rear facing until the age of 2 has become the norm.
When can my child sit in the front seat (passenger seat)?
A child can sit in the front seat (passenger seat) when they are either taller than 65″ or older than 12. The front passenger seat is reserved to teens and above younger kids have to ride in the back seat.
Can I use the shoulder belt on the back seat?
Yes you can use the shoulder belt on the back seat if the child’s age is appropriate. Typically the child’s age has to be more than 6 or taller than 57″ so the shoulder belt fits and secures properly.
Last Updated on November 7, 2023 by Brian Beasley
