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Colorado Car Seat Laws & Requirements

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Tahir Azam
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Because of their small size and height, children cannot use a regular seat belt available in a car.

They require special car seats which they have to use so that they can stay safe while riding a car.

Car seat laws in Colorado are in place for children between the ages of 1 to 15, where young infants need to be in a car seat which should be rear-facing until they cross 20 pounds, in which case they must be in a front-facing car seat.

Once they exceed 40 pounds, they must switch to a booster seat and continue to do so until they have a height limit set by the state at 4 feet and 9 inches.

In this article, I will be going over all of these ways and the rules and regulations set by the state so that you can make sure that your child is perfectly safe while riding in your vehicle.

Colorado Car Seat Requirements By Ages

Learn what are the car seat requirements in Colorado

Age plays a huge factor when it comes to the rules and regulations that the state of Colorado has set for car seat laws.

As the child grows, the rules are surrounding their transition from one phase to another.

Here, I will talk about the rules surrounding each child per their age.

1 Year Old

A child that is one year old or younger than one is required to be seated in a car seat which should be rear-facing.

This is especially the case if they are between the weight range of 20 to 40 pounds, which most one-year-olds are.

2 Year Old

According to state law, your two-year-old must also use a car seat that should be rear-facing.

However, they are also allowed to use seat with forward facing if they exceed the weight range mentioned above.

3 Year Old

The same rules apply to three-year-olds as well.

You have to make sure that you place them in a seat according to their weight, if they are below 40 pounds, they have to be in a rear-facing seat and if they are above 40 then they can be in seat which should be forward facing.

4 Year Old

Once your child hits the age of 4, the state no longer asks them to sit in a rear facing seat.

Instead, you have to make sure that they are in a car seat that is forward facing and this seat must come with 5 point harness.

5 Year Old

For the next few ages, your child will have to endure the same set of rules, meaning they will have to be seated in seat which should be forward facing until they grow tall enough or exceed the seat’s weight limit.

6 Year Old

This is also the case for six-year-olds. They must be placed in seat which should be forward facing and it must include 5 point harness.

7 – 9 Year Old

While the rules are the same as above for children that are aged 7, once your child hits the age of 8, they graduate from using car seat which should be forward facing and can start using a booster seat.

This extends to the ages of 9 to 15 until they have a certain height.

10 Year Old

If your ten-year-old is below 4 feet and 9 inches, they will have to keep using a booster seat, but if your child is above this height, they can stop using seats entirely and start using the seat belts present in the car.

Car Seat Weight And Height Requirements In Colorado

As you have no doubt seen, the constantly shifting weight and height of a child plays an important role in determining the set of rules they have to follow.

For children that are less than 20 pounds, you have to make sure that they are in a car seat which should be rear-facing, and this is regardless of age.

Once your child crosses 20 pounds, they can start using a forward-facing car seat according to the age.

Soon after, once your child weight is 40 pounds, you can start to consider shifting them to a booster seat, and they will use this till they have a height of 4 feet and 9 inches, upon which they can simply use the seat belts provided by the car.

Type Of Car Seat Laws In Colorado

While there are so many rules that you have to manage, each car seat that you buy also comes with a variety of rules that you have to follow if you are living in the state of Colorado.

1. Rear Facing Car Seat

These seats are not allowed to be used in the front of the car. This car seat must also include a 5 point harness system for better protection.

It is recommended by the state to have your child use this car seat until they exceed the seat’s weight and height limit.

2. Forward Facing Car Seat

The child can start using a car seat that is forward-facing once they are done with rear-facing seat.

This must also use a 5 point harness system, and you are required to use all tethers when using this car seat.

3. Booster Seat

State law also requires that a booster seat be used in the car, in tandem with the shoulder and lap belts.

You are required to keep using the booster seat till the child is at least 4 feet and 9 inches.

When Is The Time For My Child To Sit In The Front Seat In Colorado?

According to the laws set by the state of Colorado, once your child age is 1 and weighs more than 20 pounds, it is legal for them to sit in the front seat of the car.

While this may be legal, it is not recommended as children would only be placed in the front of the car once they are comfortable and experienced with seat belts and can use them properly.

This means waiting till the age of 8 or above.

What Happens If You Leave Your Child In A Car In Colorado?

At the time of writing this article, the state of Colorado does not have set sets of rules, regulations, and punishments when it comes to leaving your child in a car, at least not directly.

If the child is injured and the parent is the direct cause of injury, in this case, because they left them alone in the car, they are liable to fall under the child abuse statutes set by the state.

If the parent unreasonably places the child in a position that has the threat of an injury, they are also viable for the child abuse statures.

While both of these laws are vague on leaving your child in a car, they can still be applied in some capacity.

Taxi Car Seat Laws In Colorado

As stated in the rules by the state of Colorado, if you are traveling in a motor vehicle that is being operated in the business of transporting people, you are not required to follow the car seat laws mentioned above.

This means that you are exempt from using a booster seat and most car seat laws while you are traveling in a taxi or any other shuttle that you have to pay money for.

Colorado Law Regarding Car Seats In Accidents

The state of Colorado has not made any rules and regulations regarding car seats which have been through an accident.

This means that there is no legal basis to get a replacement seat when in Colorado.

As a rule of thumb, you should replace your car seat yourself after the events of an accident unless you think it is in good condition.

Uber Car Seat Laws In Colorado

Similar to the laws for taxis, since you are paying for a transport service, you are not legally obligated to follow the car seat laws of the state.

Traveling in an Uber also exempts you from using booster seats. However, if you get the chance to set one up, you should do so as it makes the journey safer for the child.

Conclusion

Colorado car seat laws are incredibly difficult to follow as many of the factors which I have discussed, such as height, weight, and age, constantly shift and have different sets of rules which often overlap with each other.

The fact that they are also linked with different types of booster seats, each with its own set of rules, is also very confusing.

Now that you have finished reading this article, you should perfectly understand all these rules and make sure that you follow them to the letter as not only do you have to do so because of the legal requirements but because it directly affects the safety and protection of your child.

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