Among St. Mary's initiatives to keep children safe and well, to avoid hospitalization, is car seat safety. Proper use of car seats can avoid traffic citations and unnecessary trips to the hospital. To schedule a personal appointment (at various locations) to check the safety of your car seat, call 608-890-8999.
Wisconsin's car seat law of Jan. 1, 2007: In general, children must be in a car seat until they reach age 4 and in a booster seat until they reach age 8.
| Age |
Weight |
Height |
Car Seat Requirement |
|
Less than 1 year old |
Less than 20 pounds |
n/a |
Rear-facing child seat in the back |
|
Age 1 to 4 |
Less than 40 pounds |
n/a |
Forward-facing child seat in the back seat |
|
Age 4 to 8 |
40 to 80 pounds |
No more than 4 feet 9 inches |
Booster seat |
FYI: Drivers may be cited for allowing passengers of any age to be unbelted in their vehicle.
Exemptions: Children whose body-size, physical condition or medical condition makes safety restraints unreasonable are exempt from the booster seat and safety belt laws.
FYI: Children may no longer be removed from a safety restraint for personal needs, such as feeding or diapering, while the vehicle is moving.