Car Seats Made Simple: Frequently Asked Questions

Booster seats: How do I comply with the law if my car only has lap belts in the back seat?

If you have a lap and shoulder belt located in a front passenger seat, put the booster seat there. (This may mean that an adult needs to move to the back seat.) If a booster-age child sits in the front passenger seat, be sure that the front passenger seat is moved all the way back from the dashboard, have the child sit up straight in the booster seat with the lap and shoulder belt buckled the right way, and read the vehicle owner’s manual about air bags.
If you have no lap and shoulder belt combination available in either the front or back seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a couple suggestions:
- If you can afford it, retrofit the vehicle by adding a shoulder belt or using a vest or harness that attaches to the lap belt system and a tether strap (contact the auto manufacturer to find out if they offer retrofits or to install a tether anchor) or
- Purchase a child safety seat with a higher weight limit (up to 80 pounds) which can be properly installed with a lap belt only. See http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/over40.aspx or http://fcs.tamu.edu/safety/passenger_safety/certified-tech/booster-alternatives.pdf.
If you cannot afford these options, and have no other vehicle, use just the lap belt, with no booster seat. You will be complying with the law only if there are no passenger shoulder/lap belts in the vehicle, because manufacturer’s instructions prohibit use of a booster seat with the lap belt only. However, remember that use of just the lap belt puts the child at risk of serious injury and is strongly discouraged.

Protect children from the greatest risk they face: traffic crashes. You can do it!

Content provided by the Minnesota Safety Council, AAA Clubs of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.