Four out of five car seats are used incorrectly, and many times, that misuse means graduating to the next car seat too soon. Children under age two are especially at-risk for serious injury or death in a traffic crash if they ride forward-facing before they are ready.
To help raise awareness of the recent changes to the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act requiring all children to ride rear-facing until age two, local organizations in many communities across Illinois will conduct a car seat check event as part of National Child Passenger Safety week. To locate the closest seat check to you click here.
Beginning January 1, 2019, Illinois law will require:
- Children under the age of two (2) must ride rear-facing.
- Children under the age of eight (8) must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system (car seat/booster seat). An appropriate system:
- fits the child;
- fits the vehicle;
- and is used according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- The child restraint must be provided by parent or legal guardian.
- Every person transporting a child under age eight (8) is responsible for properly securing the child in the vehicle.
The law change coincides with the National CPS week campaign, September 23 - 29, 2018. In a number of counties, certified child passenger safety (CPS) technicians will be on hand to check car seats and educate parents on appropriate selection and installation. This event is one of over 90 in Illinois sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Educational materials will be provided at the event. To view materials online or to learn more about Illinois’ Child Passenger Safety program, visit www.buckleuplinois.org.
Although the law requires rear-facing until age two, IDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend keeping children rear-facing as long as possible up to the top height or weight allowed by their car seat manufacturer, which can often be well past the child’s second birthday.
Once a child turns two and has outgrown the rear-facing car seat, he/she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and top tether. For more information on Child Passenger Safety week visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov or www.buckleupillinois.org.