Texas Car Seat Laws

Most parents want to keep their children safe. However, many parents are unaware of how important child car seat safety requirements are in protecting their children in the event of an accident.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children.

Car seat laws save the lives of hundreds of kids each year in the United States. Every parent should know the car seat requirements for their state to be compliant and to help keep their children safer.

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• We have recovered over $50 million for our clients and are dedicated to recovering maximum compensation for every client.
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• We won’t take your case unless we believe it has merit and that we can help you recover the compensation you deserve.

What Are the Car Seat Requirements in Texas?

The car seat requirements in Texas depend on the weight, height, and age of each child. Currently, the law requires as follows:

• Until they reach the age of two, children must ride in a rear-facing car seat unless their height or weight exceeds the limit set by the car seat manufacturer. The weight limit varies depending on the model. However, for most rear-facing car seats, the weight limit is 35 to 40 pounds
• When children are ages two to four, they should ride in a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness unless their height or weight exceeds the limit set by the car seat manufacturer. For most forward-facing car seats, the weight limit is 65 pounds.
• From ages four to eight, children must use a booster seat unless their height is over four feet nine inches. The weight limit for booster seats is typically 100 pounds.
• Until age thirteen, children should ride in the back seat with a standard seat belt.

Car seats must comply with these laws and be properly installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Failure to follow car seat requirements can result in a $250 fine, according to the Texas Transportation Code, Section 545.412. Additionally, car seat safety violations may be used against a parent in child custody cases.

At What Age Can a Child Sit in the Front Seat in Texas?

Child safety experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that children under the age of thirteen ride in the back seat of a vehicle.

If there is no back seat in the vehicle, a child may ride in the front seat. However, additional safety measures should be taken.

You should never place a rear-facing car seat in any seat with an active airbag. First, disable the airbag. Second, move the seat as far back as the vehicle allows.

What Are the Texas Child Car Seat Laws for Rideshare and Taxis?

Taxis and rideshares have the same child car seat requirements as every other driver in Texas. These drivers can be fined for allowing a child to ride in their vehicles without the proper car seat.

If you are traveling in a taxi or rideshare vehicle with your child, it is your responsibility to bring the proper car seat and install it correctly in the vehicle.

Common Injuries to Children in a Texas Car Accident

Because children are smaller and weigh less than adults, they usually suffer greater injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Additionally, their injuries may impact them more severely.

If a child’s growth plate is broken in an accident, they often require multiple surgeries and may be left with a deformity such as a shorter limb. Additionally, children often suffer greater problems from a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion.

Because their brains are still growing, children are at a greater risk of concussion, and damage to their brains can be long-lasting or even permanent. Traumatic brain injuries in children may cause personality changes, problems with sensory functions, coordination, and cognitive abilities, and other negative effects.

In addition to concussions and other traumatic brain injuries, children are at greater risk for organ damage and other potentially fatal injuries.

Compensation Recoverable for Your Child’s Car Accident Injuries

Children are entitled to recover the same types of compensation as adults. They can recover both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include current and future medical expenses, lost wages when their injuries impact their future ability to work, and other expenses and losses incurred because of their injuries. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, and other intangible losses.

Punitive damages are rarely awarded. However, if the at-fault party’s conduct was especially egregious, punitive damages are possible in child car accident injury cases.

There are several important differences in a Texas child injury lawsuit.

• Children under eighteen can not file a personal injury claim. A parent or guardian must file the suit on their behalf.
• Children have a longer filing deadline. So, if a parent or guardian does not file suit on behalf of the child, the child may file their own claim once they turn eighteen. The disadvantage to waiting until they turn eighteen is that it can be much harder to prove liability and damages because evidence may be lost, destroyed, or diminished.
• Additionally, the court may appoint an ad litem representative to help ensure any settlement of a child’s injury case is in their best interest. Texas courts have the authority to reject a settlement offer, or a jury verdict that it determines is not in a child’s best interest.

How a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

If your child has been injured in a car accident caused by another party, a Dallas car accident lawyer can help investigate the accident to determine all possible causes and potentially liable parties.

They can identify and gather essential evidence to support your claim and build your strongest case. Your attorney can help negotiate a fair settlement of your case as quickly as possible, and if a fair settlement is not reached, they can take your case to trial to demand full compensation for your child’s damages.

Child injury cases in Texas have significant differences from adult injury cases. You need a Dallas car accident attorney who knows how to recover maximum compensation for your child’s damages.

In almost all cases, your chances of a successful outcome are significantly greater when an experienced Dallas car accident lawyer represents you.

Contact Bush & Bush Law Group Today

If your child has been injured in a Texas car accident, we want to help. Our Dallas personal injury attorneys have a proven record of recovering maximum client compensation, and we want to do the same for you.

Call (469) 977-7777 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.