Safety Seat Laws

The Texas Transportation Code

Section 545.412. Child Passenger Safety Seat Systems; Offense.

  • (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates a passenger vehicle, transports a child who is younger than eight years of age, unless the child is taller than four feet, nine inches, and does not keep the child secured during the operation of the vehicle in a child passenger safety seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system.
  • (f)(1) "Child passenger safety seat system" means an infant or child passenger restraint system that meets the federal standards for crash-tested restraint systems as set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • (f)(3) "Safety belt" means a lap belt and any shoulder straps included as original equipment on or added to a vehicle
  • (f)(4) "Secured," in connection with use of a safety belt, means using the lap belt and any shoulder straps according to the instructions of:
    • The manufacturer of the vehicle if the safety belt is original equipment
    • The manufacturer of the safety belt, if the safety belt has been added to the vehicle

Section 545.413. Safety Belts; Offense

  • A person commits an offense if:
    • the person:
      • Is at least 15 years of age
      • Is riding in a passenger vehicle while the vehicle is being operated
      • Is occupying a seat that is equipped with a safety belt
      • Is not secured by a safety belt
  • A person commits an offense if the person:
    • Operates a passenger vehicle that is equipped with safety belts; and
    • Allows a child who is younger than 17 years of age and who is not required to be secured in a child passenger safety seat system under Section 545.412(a) to ride in the vehicle without requiring the child to be secured by a safety belt, provided the child is occupying a seat that is equipped with a safety belt.

Section 545.414. Riding in Open Beds; Offense

A person commits an offense if the person operates an open-bed pickup truck or an open flatbed truck or draws an open flatbed trailer when a child younger than 18 years of age is occupying the bed of the truck or trailer.

Never put a rear-facing child safety seat system in the front seat of a car with a passenger side air bag.

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