Best Practices for Children Passengers

Tips for "best practices" when driving with children as passengers:

Always wear your lap and shoulder belt when driving - it protects you in case of a crash and it sets a good example for children.
Children 1 to 4 years and 20 to 40 pounds should ride in a forward-facing child seat.
Children 12 and younger should never sit in the front seat. The safest seating position is in the back seat, away from air bags if possible.
Children 13 years of age or older should ride in the front seat, but should position their seat as far back as possible from the air bag.
Children who are over 57 inches and 80 pounds, typically around 8 years of age, are ready to use just a safety belt.
Children who have outgrown a child safety seat, typically when they are over 40 pounds and 5 years of age, should transition to a booster seat which assists in the proper fit of a safety belt.
Children from birth to 1 year and less than 20-22 pounds should be in a rear-facing infant seat. It is safest to have these seats in the back seat and away from air bags.

Proper Child Safety Seat Use Chart

Criteria	Infants Birth to 1 Year	Toddlers Over 1 Year	Young Children Ages 4 - 8
Weight	Up to 20 to 22 pounds	Over 20 but less than 40 pounds	Over 40 pounds unless they are 4 foot, 9 inches tall or taller
Type of Car Seat	Infant Only or Rear-Facing Convertible	Convertible/Forward-Facing	Belt Positioning Booster Seat
Seat Position	Rear-Facing only	Forward-Facing	Forward-Facing
Strap/Belt Position	Harness straps at or below shoulder level.	Harness straps should be at our above the shoulders. Most seats require top slot for forward-facing.	Belt positioning booster seats must be used with both lap and shoulder belt. Make sure the lap belt fits low and tight across lap/upper-thigh area and the shoulder belt fits snug across the chest and shoulder to avoid abdominal injuries.