Child Safety
Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children
Child
Child Size, Height, Weight, or Age
Recommended Restraint
Type
Use a child restraint
(sometimes called an
infant carrier, convertible
seat, or toddler seat).
Infants or
toddlers
Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger).
Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a child restraint (generally
children who are less than 57 in (1.45 m)
tall, are greater than age four and less
than age 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.
Small children
Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a belt-positioning booster
seat (generally children who are at least
Use a vehicle seatbelt
having the lap belt snug
and low across the hips,
shoulder belt centered
Larger children 57 in (1.45 m) tall or greater than 80 lb
(36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recommended across the shoulder and
by child restraint manufacturer).
chest, and seat backrest
upright.
•
•
You are required by law to properly use
child restraints for infants and toddlers
in the United States, Canada and
Mexico.
•
When possible, properly restrain
children 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
(page 48).
When installing a rear facing child
restraint, adjust the vehicle seats to
avoid interference between the child
restraint and the vehicle seat in front
of the child restraint.
Many states and provinces require that
small children use approved booster
seats until they reach age eight, a
height of 57 in (1.45 m) tall, or 80 lb
(36 kg). Check your local and state or
provincial laws for specific
•
requirements about the safety of
children in your vehicle.
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing
