The Nebraska car seat law is considered a minimum requirement for safety. It is based on age rather than height and weight like the recommendations of safety experts. The law states that children 5 and under must ride “correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat”. (see the first link below) Kids age 6 through age 17 must ride in an appropriate car seat or a properly fitting adult seat belt.
There are 4 stages of child restraint use: rear facing 5 point harness, forward facing 5 point harness, booster seat, and adult seat belt. Safety experts recommend keeping kids in each stage until they outgrow the maximum height or weight limit of the seat.
It’s very important to use both a lap belt and shoulder belt with a booster seat. Not doing so can result in severe abdominal and spinal injuries.
Check out the links below for more details on car seat law in Nebraska. There are also links to best practices for safety and the 4 stages of child restraint use.
National Resources for Nebraska Car Seat and Booster Seat Laws
IIHS – Chart of Seatbelt and Car Seat Laws by State
nhtsa.gov – Choose and Use the Best Car Seat. This is a great info packed site, so if you have questions about almost anything related to car seats or booster seats, definitely check this one out.
iihs.org – Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, child safety page
safekids.org – A global organization about keeping children safe, especially from preventable injuries or fatalities. Their site includes tips on car seat choice and car seat inspection events, among other things.