Hawaii car seat laws
Other laws about children in cars
Advice for driving with kids in your car in Hawaii
Conclusion
Hawaii car seat laws
The car seat laws in Hawaii are pretty similar to most other places in the United States. Kids ages four through seven years old must be in a booster seat. If a child is seven or younger, under 80 pounds and under 4 foot 9 inches – a booster seat must be used when they are traveling in an automobile.
Specifically, booster seats are for most kids ages four through seven. Child safety seats are for kids who are under four years old.
At first, infants should only ride in cars in rear-facing child safety seats. These seats are only legal to put in the back of the car. Once a child reaches the maximum weight for these seats which tends to be about forty-five pounds, they can start using a forward-facing seat.
Other laws about children in cars
As long as children of the ages mentioned above are in the proper safety seats, you will not be risking any tickets. Just be sure that they are properly secure. You can see how to properly install a car seat here.
It is highly recommended that you do not allow a child under the age of thirteen to ride in the front seat of the car because, in the event of a crash, a child is much more susceptible to injury than a full-grown adult.
Advice for driving with kids in your car in Hawaii
Driving with children in the car can be both distracting and stressful. You can use the tips below to increase the safety for everyone in the car as well as lowering the stress level for yourself:
- Stay alert and focused – The most important thing to remember about driving with kids in the car is to focus on the road of all times. Do not text or let yourself get distracted by the kids while you are in the middle of driving.
- Make sure the kids are secure in their seats – Car safety seats and booster seats are only effective if they are properly installed and secured. So, before you start driving, take some time to make sure that they are.
- Consider a distraction for them so they do not become one – If you have a car that is equipped with rear passenger DVD screens, put something on for the kids. You can always play some music the kids enjoy over the stereo so they will be pre-occupied and will much less likely act up. This is especially helpful for longer drives.
- Bring some help if possible – Having another adult in the car to help with the kids while you drive is a huge deal. This way you can concentrate on the road while they can worry about the kids.
- Pull over if need be – If all else fails while you are driving with kids in your car, you can pull over and try to fix whatever issue they are having. We recommend pulling over into a parking lot if possible, rather than the shoulder which can be dangerous for both you and other drivers.
Conclusion
Driving with kids in the car can be difficult at times but if you take the proper steps before you start driving, you can minimize the amount of difficulty and stress that you will experience. The most important things to remember are that you should always focus on the road. If your kids need immediate assistance while you are driving, then you can always pull-over. Also, make sure that any car seats you have in the car are properly installed.
