Minnesota Towards Zero Deaths
Child Passenger Safety
In Minnesota, all children must be in a child restraint until they are 4’9” tall, or at least age 9, whichever comes first.
- An infant under 2 years of age must be secured in a rear-facing convertible or infant carrier seat.
- A child at least 2 years of age AND has outgrown the manufacturer's height or weight limits for a rear-facing car seat must be secured in a forward-facing car seat with an internal harness.
- A child at least 4 years of age who has outgrown their forward-facing car seat with an internal harness must be secured by a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap and shoulder belt.
- A child at least 9 years of age or has outgrown their booster seat AND the child can pass the 5-step test.
- A child, under the age of 13, must sit in the back seat, if possible.
If a child has reached the minimum age requirement for a car seat but has not yet exceeded the seat’s height or weight limits, the safest practice is for them to remain in that seat until they reach the maximum height or weight allowed.
Car Seat Program
The Car Seat Program provides child passenger safety checks and car seat education to parents by staff certified in car seat safety free of charge. You may qualify to receive a car seat at a reduced rate depending on your insurance plan, call Steele County Public Health at 507.444.7650 to check what those qualifications are.
When you get a new car seat, always register it with the manufacturer. This ensures you'll receive important recall notifications and updates for your child's safety.
- The top of the child’s head should be at least one inch away from the top of the shell.
- Harness straps should always be snug, straight and flat. The harness straps should be tight enough that you can't pinch more than an inch of slack. They should be positioned at or below the shoulders.
- The harness chest clip should be positioned at the middle of the chest, level with the armpits.
- Make sure the vehicle’s seatbelt or LATCH belt is correct and secure. Refer to the car seat manual for more information.
- The top of the child’s ears should not be above the top of the car seat’s shell.
- If the seat provides shoulder pads, they must be properly positions on the child’s shoulders.
- Harness straps should always be snug, straight, and flat. The harness straps should be tight enough that you can't pinch more than an inch of slack. They should be positioned at or above the shoulders.
- The harness chest clip should be positioned at the middle of the chest, level with the armpits.
- Always use the top tether with a forward-facing car seat if your vehicle has the top tether anchors. Make sure the vehicle’s seatbelt or LATCH belt is correct and secure as well. Refer to the car seat manual for more information.
- Once a child outgrows the weight or height limit of their forward-facing car seat, they should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits them properly.
- Booster seats lift the child, so the vehicle’s seat belt fits correctly across their collarbone and thighs, just like it does on an adult.
- The child sits all the way back against vehicle seat.
- Their knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat.
- The lap belt fits snugly across their hips near the top of the thighs, NOT THE ABDOMEN.
- The shoulder belt snugly crosses the center of the chest and shoulder, NOT THE NECK.
- The child sits correctly, without slouching, for the entire ride.