Child Passenger Safety

General Information:

In keeping up with these American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, Hawaii’s child safety seat law have been updated. Infants under 2 years old must be properly restrained in a rear-facing car seat with harness. Keiki 2 years old but under 4 must be properly restrained in a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat with harness. Keiki 4 years old but under 10 must be in a child passenger safety seat or booster seat unless the child is over 4 feet 9 inches tall. All children in a motor vehicle must be properly restrained.

Child Safety Seats Types

Rear-Facing:

  • Always read instructions for both the car seat and vehicle for proper installation.
  • Keep children in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until child meets the height or weight maximum of the seat (minimum of 2 years of age).
  • Harness straps should be routed through slots that are at or below the child’s shoulders.
  • Keep harness straps snug (should not be able to pinch harness at shoulders).
  • Place chest clip at armpit level.
  • Never put a rear-facing seat in the front seat with an active airbag.
  • Recline car seat according to the level indicator on the car seat.
  • Thread vehicle belt or LATCH anchor strap through rear-facing belt path.
  • Never leave baby alone in and around vehicles.

Forward-Facing with Harness:

  • Always read instructions for both the car seat and vehicle for proper installation.
  • Keep children in a forward-facing car safety with a harness seat as long as possible, until child meets the height or weight maximum of the seat (minimum of 4 years of age).
  • Harness straps should be routed through slots that are at or above the child’s shoulders.
  • Keep harness straps snug (should not be able to pinch harness at shoulders).
  • Place chest clip at armpit level.
  • Thread vehicle belt or LATCH anchor strap through forward-facing belt path.
  • Use the Top Tether according to the instructions.
  • Never leave a child alone in and around vehicles.

Booster seats:

  • Always read instructions for both the booster seat and vehicle for proper use.
  • Children should ride in the back seat until at least the age of 13.
  • Always use the shoulder and lap belt.
  • Shoulder belt should be across the chest and lap belt should be low across the hips.
  • Never allow the child to place the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.
  • Use a high-back booster seat if the vehicle does not have a head restraint.
  • Never leave a child alone in and around vehicles.

Seat Belts:

  • Most children need to ride in a booster seat until age 10-12 years (at a minimum of 9 years old).
  • Children should ride in the back seat until at least the age of 13.
  • The child must sit back all the way with the back against the vehicle seat.
  • The child’s knees must bend comfortable over the seat cushion.
  • The shoulder belt must fit comfortably across the shoulder and chest (never on the neck).
  • The lab belt needs to be worn low across the hips (never on the stomach).
  • The child needs to sit this way for the entire trip.

A Hawaii State tax credit of $25 per year applies to the purchase of a booster or child safety seat.

Call anytime to make an appointment for car seat check, call 808-527-2588. For more information on child car seat safety and Hawaii’s updated child safety seat laws, visit the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition (KIPC) at http://kipchawaii.org/car-seat-safety/

Download the new Birth to Booster Brochures in:

English: BirthToBoosters-Brochure2023

Hawaiian: Hawaiian_BirthToBoosters-Brochure2023-final

These brochures are also available in the following languages:

  • Ilocano
  • Tagalog
  • Japanese
  • Mandarin
  • Cantonese
  • Spanish
  • Korean
  • Vietnamese
  • Samoan
  • Marshallese
  • Chuukese (TBA)

Please contact Christy Cowser at [email protected] if you would like a digital PDF copy emailed to you.

Last updated on October 8, 2024