Alabama car seat laws focus on kids up to 15 years old. The laws here have age limits and weight limits for each stage of child safety seat use, but only one requirement must be met. For example, a child must be 40 pounds OR 5 years old to sit in a booster seat.
Guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are stronger than the laws in Alabama. Most safety experts say babies should ride backward until they are at least 2 years old and max out the weight limit of their car seat. Toddlers should ride forward facing in a car seat with a 5 point harness until they outgrow the weight and height limit of their car seat.
Check out the links below for more detailed information about using car seats and booster seats in the cotton state of Alabama.
State Resources for Alabama Car Seat Laws
Alabama Department of Public Health – Alabama car seat laws and 4 stages of car seat use
Alabama Department of Public Health – Buckle up Alabama PDF (second page)
Booster seat activity book for kids – mulitipage PDF
Alabama Department of Public Health – Booster seat use PDF
National Resources for Alabama Car Seat Laws
nhtsa.gov – Choose and Use the Best Car Seat. This is an awesome info packed site, so if you have general questions, definitely stop here.
iihs.org – Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, child safety page
safekids.org – A global organization all about keeping kids safe, especially from preventable injuries or fatalities. Their site includes tips on car seat choice and car seat inspection events, among other things.