Kentucky’s Child Car Seat, Booster Seat, and Seatbelt Laws

Kentucky requires all vehicle passengers to use a seatbelt but also imposes special rules for children riding in vehicles. The specifics of these rules depend on the child's age, weight, and height. Below is an overview of the requirements and penalties associated with Kentucky's child restraint laws.

Kentucky's Car Seat and Seatbelt Requirements

Kentucky's child restraint laws apply to all vehicles designed to carry 15 or fewer passengers, excluding motorcycles and registered farm trucks.

Forward-Facing and Rear-Facing Car Seats

Children who are 40 inches tall or shorter are required to be properly secured in a child restraint system per the manufacturer's recommendations. For kids of his size, it's typically going to be a forward- or rear-facing car seat that's appropriate.

KY's Booster Seat Requirements

Children between 40 and 57 inches tall are required to use a booster seat so they properly fit a lap and shoulder belt. A child who's at least eight years old is not required to use a booster.

Seatbelt Requirements for Kids in KY

Generally, all passengers riding in vehicles made after 1981 are required to wear a seatbelt.

Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Recommendations

While not mandatory, the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety has provided recommendations to promote child safety.

	Under One Year	One to Eight Years	At Least Eight Years
Under 20 pounds	Rear-facing car seat	Rear-facing car seat
20 to 40 pounds	Rear-facing car seat	Convertible or forward-facing car seat	Booster seat
40 to 80 pounds		Booster seat	Seatbelt

Penalties for Car Seat and Child Seatbelt Violations

The fines for safety restraint violations depend on whether the violation was related to car seat, booster seat, or seatbelt requirements.

Fines for a Car Seat Ticket in Kentucky

Failure to comply with car seat requirements will result in a $50 fine but no court costs or driver's license points.

Fines for Booster Seat Violations in Kentucky

Booster seat violations will result in a $30 fine but no court costs or license points.

For a first offense, the driver can avoid a conviction by obtaining and installing a booster seat.

Fines for Seatbelt Violations in Kentucky

Seatbelt tickets carry a $25 fine but no court costs or license points.

More Information and Resources About Car Seats

For more information about child restraint systems, check the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control. It's also a good idea to register your car seat to be notified regarding recalls.