At What Age Can Children Legally Sit in the Front Seat?
Before you let your child sit in the front seat, make sure you know how old your child should be before they become a front-seat passenger to stay safe in the car.
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In addition, the state's expanded seatbelt law, which went into effect Nov. 1, requires all passengers ages 16 and older to wear a seat belt in the backseat of personal vehicles, as well as taxis and ride-share cars.
What age can kids sit in the front seat in New Jersey?
Children younger than 8 and shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches should be appropriately secured in the rear seat of a motor vehicle. If a car doesn't have rear seats, such as in the case of a pick-up truck, a child in this category can ride in the front seat if they are appropriately secured and the passenger side airbag has been disabled, according to New Jersey’s Department of Law & Public Safety.
What age can kids sit in the front seat in Connecticut?
While the state doesn't clearly define when children are permitted to ride in the front seat, it’s recommended that children should ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old, according to Safe Kids Connecticut. There is, however, a law that states all children, tweens, and teens must use seat belts in motor vehicles. Here's how the rest of Connecticut’s passenger safety laws work: Infants must remain rear-facing until they are a minimum of both 2 years and 30 pounds; toddlers must be in a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness until they are 5 years old and 40 pounds; and children should ride in a booster, using the car’s lap-and-shoulder belt, until they reach 8 years old and 60 pounds.
More information about child-passenger safety laws can be found on your state's official website.
