{"id":1436,"date":"2023-11-11T08:58:22","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T08:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/?p=1436"},"modified":"2023-12-13T07:50:07","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T07:50:07","slug":"new-mexico-car-seat-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/new-mexico-car-seat-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico Car Seat Laws (2024) – Age, Weight, Height Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
According to the New Mexico State Law, children 6 years old or younger<\/strong> or less than 60 pounds<\/strong> should be secured in a child safety seat.<\/p> A booster seat is required for a child aged 7 to 12 until the seat belt can fit them properly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tNew Mexico Legislature Laws in section 66-7-369 subsections A on child passenger restraint read: \n \"A person shall not operate a passenger car, van or pickup truck in this state, except for an authorized emergency vehicle, public transportation or a school bus, unless all passengers [less than eighteen years of age] are properly restrained.\"\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Mexico Rear-facing Car Seat Laws\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Mexico Forward facing Car Seat Rules\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Mexico Booster Seat Laws\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen can child sit in front seat New Mexico\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tBest car seat to meet New Mexico laws\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSeat Laws across the United States\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t New Mexico law in section 66-7-369 subsections B (1) says that infants under 12 months old must ride in a rear-facing car seat<\/a>.<\/p> It\u2019s best to keep the littles facing the rear for as long as they reach the weight or height limit of their car seats.<\/p> According to the rules in the same section, the rear-facing seat<\/a> needs to be installed in the back seat.<\/p> If the vehicle does not have a back seat or is occupied by other children under the age of 1, the child may ride in the front seat of the vehicle unless the airbag is deactivated.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t According to the regulations in section 66-7-369 subsections B (2), a child should be secured in a child restraining system, when they meet the below age or weight requirements:<\/p> No rear-facing or forward-facing requirements, no car seat type<\/a> requirements.<\/p> For this kind of case, the best practice is to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible until they outgrow the rear-facing car seat, then switch to a forward-facing car seat<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t New Mexico indicates the rules on booster seats<\/a> in section 66-7-369 subsections B (3):<\/p> The law says that parents can choose a child booster seat or car seat that fits their child in size and age<\/a>.<\/p> It’s best to keep your child in a forward-facing car seat for as long as possible until he or she outgrows the highest height or weight set by the manufacturer, then move to a booster seat.<\/p> Booster seats must be used with both lap and shoulder belts. Booster seats cannot be used with a lap belt alone.<\/p> Children should ride in booster seats until the vehicle seat belt fits correctly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t According to the regulation in section 66-7-369 subsections B (4),\u00a0children aged between 7 to 12 <\/strong>are required to use a seat belt or a booster seat.<\/p> But it\u2019s always a good idea to keep using the booster seat as long as possible within the weight or height limit.<\/p> How do you know if your child is ready to use the seat belt or not?<\/strong><\/p> The above listed are advanced tips for parents to check.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t At what age can a child sit in the front seat in New Mexico?<\/b><\/p> There is no age mentioned in the New Mexico law. However, we can follow the expert advice and best practices from AAP and NHTSA- the back seat is the safest for children under 12 years of age. You can place them in the front seat since they are 13 years old.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Violators who do not obey the New Mexico laws will receive a fine of up to $25<\/strong> for the first offense.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The driver is responsible for making sure the child\u2019s safe in an operating motor vehicle.<\/p> The rule in 66-7-369 subsections A tells the exceptional cases:<\/p> New Mexico doesn\u2019t have clear rules on whether taxis are required to follow car seat laws.<\/p> Suppose taxicab is not included in public transportation, it’s required to follow the New Mexico regulations on child restraining devices and systems.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t According to the rule in section 66-7-375, it breaks the law to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The New Mexico laws have a specific age<\/a>, weight, and height requirements<\/a> for four stages:What is the car seat law in New Mexico?\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRear-Facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tForward-Facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBooster\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFront Seat Laws\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCar Seats List\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUS Car Seat Laws\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
New Mexico Rear-Facing Car Seat Laws<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
New Mexico Forward Facing Car Seat Laws <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Child Booster Seat Laws in New Mexico<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Seat Belt Laws for Child in New Mexico<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
When can a child sit in the front seat in New Mexico?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Penalty for Breaking Car Seat Laws in New Mexico<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
New Mexico Car Seat Laws Apply for<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Taxi Car Seat Law in New Mexico<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Leaving a child unattend in New Mexico<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Age, Weight, Height Requirements in New Mexico Law<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Rear-facing (stage 1)<\/b>: under 1 year of age
Forward-facing (stage 2)<\/b>: age 1 to 4 years old, less than 40 pounds
Booster ( stage 3)<\/strong>: 5-6 years old, less than 60 pounds
Seat belt (stage 4)<\/strong>: 7-17 years of age<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t