New S.C. Child Safety Seat Rules Start June 1

A new law goes into effect June 1 in South Carolina requiringing parents to follow certain restraint laws regarding their child's car seat. Governor Henry McMaster signed the law last week. The law requires children under the age of 2 to sit in rear-facing car seats. 

Additional child car seat laws in the state include: 

- Children under 1 year old or weighing less than 20 lbs must be in a rear-facing child safety seat.
- Children 1 through 5 years old, weighing between 20 to 40 lbs., must be in a forward-facing child safety seat.
- Children over 1 through 5 years old, weighing 40 to 80 lbs., must be in a belt-positioning booster seat.
- Regardless of age, children weighing over 80 lbs. or those who can can sit erect against the car seat and bend their legs over the seat's edge are not required to be in a booster seat.

Parents are encouraged to take advantage of free car safety seat inspection stations around the state to ensure your seats are installed correctly. Click here to find one near you.