Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children
Child size, height, weight, or
age
Recommended
restraint type
Infants or
toddlers
Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or
less (generally age four or
younger).
Use a child safety seat
(sometimes called an
infant carrier,
convertible seat, or
toddler seat).
Small
children
Children who have outgrown or no
longer properly fit in a child safety
seat (generally children who are
less than 4 ft. 9 in. (1.45 m) tall,
are greater than age four (4) and
less than age twelve (12), and
between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb
(36 kg) and upward to 100 lb
(45 kg) if recommended by your
child restraint manufacturer).
Use a belt-positioning
booster seat.
Larger
children
Children who have outgrown or no
longer properly fit in a
belt-positioning booster seat
(generally children who are at least
4 ft. 9 in. (1.45 m) tall or greater
than 80 lb (36 kg) or 100 lb
(45 kg) if recommended by child
restraint manufacturer).
Use a vehicle safety
belt having the lap
belt snug and low
across the hips,
shoulder belt
centered across the
shoulder and chest,
and seat back upright.
•
You are required by law to properly use safety seats for infants and
toddlers in the United States and Canada.
•
Many states and provinces require that small children use approved
booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 feet 9 inches
(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 pounds (36 kilograms). Check your local and
state or provincial laws for specific requirements about the safety of
children in your vehicle.
•
When possible, always properly restrain children twelve (12) years of
age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident
statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seating positions than in a front seating position. See
Front
Passenger Sensing System
in the
Supplementary Restraints System
chapter for more information.
18
Child Safety
2014 MKS
(mks)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA
(fus)
