Child car seats work. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, car seats reduce your child’s risk of injury in a car accident by up to 82%. Booster seats are also effective in reducing the risk of serious injury in grade-school-age children by up to 45%.
Illinois requires drivers to put all children under 8 in car seats. Illinois child car seat laws provide specific guidance about the type of car seat required at each age, height, and weight. It also identifies the impact on liability for refusal to use child car seats.
In this article, our Chicago car accident lawyers explain what you need to know about Illinois child car seat laws. If you’ve been in a car accident in Chicago, IL, our legal team can help you recover compensation for your damages. Contact us today at (312) 929-2884 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers.
How Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Chicago, IL
Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers have over a decade of experience fighting on behalf of accident victims in Chicago, Illinois. Our Chicago car accident lawyers have handled all types of injury cases, including personal injury, workers’ compensation, and Social Security disability.
Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers helps clients after an accident by offering:
- Free consultations to go over the next steps after an injury
- Prompt and efficient communications with your injury attorney
- Calculation of your damages and losses
- Investigations to gather evidence and identify liable parties
- Aggressive representation against at-fault parties and insurers to get results
A car accident in Chicago, Illinois can cause serious injuries to you and your child. Contact Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers to learn about the injury compensation you can seek after a car accident.
How Many Car Accidents Involve Child Passengers In Chicago, IL?
Chicago does not release statistics about the ages of car accident victims. But the Illinois Department of Transportation includes statewide statistics in its annual Crash Facts report.
The Illinois child car seat law covers children under the age of 8. But the Crash Facts report provides accident victim age groups of 0–4 years and 5–9 years. These groups do not precisely overlay the group covered by the child car seat law.
In the 2021 Crash Facts report, Illinois reported 2,854 children under the age of 10 who were injured or killed in a car accident that year.
Of these:
- 16 suffered a fatal injury
- 176 suffered an “A” injury that incapacitated the child and required an ambulance
- 2,662 suffered a “B” or “C” injury that left a visible wound or produced symptoms but did not incapacitate the child
According to the 2021 statistics, children under 10 years old made up about 3.6% of all injured car accident victims in the state.
Illinois Child Car Seat Law Requirements
Child car seat laws exist in every state and Washington, D.C. Some states have broad laws that allow the driver to decide which child restraint to use. Other states specify a child restraint based on the child’s age, height, or weight.
Illinois falls into the latter category. The state’s child car seat law specifies:
- All children under 8 must ride in a child restraint system
- Children under 2 must ride in a rear-facing child car seat unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or are taller than 40 inches
- Children ages 2–8 must ride in a front-facing child car seat or booster seat
Once a child reaches age 8, the Illinois child car seat law no longer applies. But the state’s seat belt law takes over. Children over 8 can ride without using a booster or car seat but must wear a seat belt, like all drivers and passengers in the state.
Consequences When You Fail to Use a Child Car Seat in Chicago, Illinois
When a driver fails to put a child in a child car seat, they may face numerous consequences, including these:
Traffic Citation
If you receive a citation for violating the child car seat law, you will pay a fine of $75 for the first offense. A judge can reduce the fine if you prove that you obtained an approved child car seat and completed an instructional course in its installation. You will pay a $200 fine for a second or subsequent violation, and a judge cannot reduce the fine.
Death in a Car Crash
In 2021, ten children died in car crashes. Of these, three were riding in properly installed booster or child car seats.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Chicago Car Wreck Lawyers
A car accident can disable or even kill your child. Contact Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the injuries you and your child suffered. We can help you understand your rights and options. We can help you recover compensation to help your family.
Our legal team handles all types of car accidents, including:
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- DUI Accidents
- Head-On Crashes
- Highway Crashes
- I-90 Accidents
- Intersection Crashes
- Lane Change Crashes
- Left-Turn Accidents
- Multi-vehicle Car Crashes
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Rear-End Crashes
- Red and Yellow Light Crashes
- Rollover Accident
- Speeding Accidents
- Uninsured Motorist Claims
- U-Turn Accidents
Additional Car Accident Articles & Information
- At What Age Can Kids Sit in the Front Seat of a Car in Illinois?
- Can I Be Compensated for Pre-Existing Conditions After a Car Accident?
- Can I Be Reimbursed for Lost Wages After a Car Accident?
- Chicago, IL Car Accident FAQs
- Common Car Accident Injuries
- Common Car Accident Scenarios in Chicago — Causes & Determining Fault
- Illinois Car Accident Claim Process
- Illinois Car Inspection Laws
- Most Dangerous Roads/Intersections in Chicago
- Who Is at Fault for My Chicago Car Accident?
- Who Will Pay My Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
