Child passenger safety seats are required for children under what age?

Child passenger safety seats are required for children under 8 years of age and for those who are less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall. This regulation is established to enhance the safety of children while traveling in vehicles, as children are much more vulnerable to injury in the event of an accident due to their size and weight.

The requirement for children under 8 to be in safety seats is based on extensive research indicating that standard seat belts are not designed to protect smaller children effectively. Thus, safety seats provide the necessary support and protection, significantly reducing the risk of injury.

The specific height requirement of less than 4 feet, 9 inches ensures that even older children, who might still be too small for regular seat belts to function properly, are securely restrained in a manner that can absorb impact and keep them positioned correctly.

In evaluating the other options, the age limits presented differ from current regulations. For instance, while option A states that safety seats are required for children under 5, this does not encompass children who are technically still at risk between the ages of 5 to 8. Options C and D suggest ages much higher than those currently mandated, thus further illustrating why option B is the most accurate and aligns with the safety laws in