People must wear seat belts as 50% of people that die in car crashes are those that did not wear their seat belts.
This makes it difficult to take care of children in cars that physically cannot use their seat belts in the car.
To combat this limitation, various car seat laws in Oklahoma set various restrictions on children until they are eight years old.
Children below two years must use a rear-facing car seat and, once they exceed the limits of this seat, should move up to a front-facing car seat.
Once they outgrow this seat, they can move up to a booster seat which they must use until they are 4 feet and 9 inches tall.
I will go over all these rules in greater detail in this article, so if you are a citizen of Oklahoma, make sure to take some time to read this.
Table of Contents
- 1 Oklahoma Car Seat Requirements By Ages
- 2 Car Seat Weight And Height Requirements In Oklahoma
- 3 Type Of Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
- 4 When Is The Time For My Child To Sit In The Front Seat In Oklahoma?
- 5 What Happens If You Leave Your Child In A Car In Oklahoma?
- 6 Taxi Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
- 7 Oklahoma Law Regarding Car Seats In Accidents
- 8 Uber Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
- 9 Conclusion
Oklahoma Car Seat Requirements By Ages
Age is probably the most important factor in car seat guidelines in Oklahoma, which is why many people have to monitor how old their children are when they are traveling in a car.
1 Year Old
Law requires one-year-olds to be perfectly secured inside a rear-facing car seat.
This rule is not negotiable and must be enforced unless you want to get pulled over and slapped with a fine.
2 Year Old
Your child can stop using a rear-facing car seat and move to a front-facing car seat by the age of 2, but you are better off using the rear-facing car seat for better protection.
3 Year Old
Generally, the same rules for two-year-olds apply for three-year-olds as well, meaning unless your child has outgrown the rear-facing car seat, keeping them in it rather than using a front-facing car seat is good.
4 Year Old
By four years old, your child should be too big to use a rear-facing car seat and hence should use a front-facing car seat for as long as possible.
5 Year Old
Children below the age of 8 can either be in a booster seat or a front-facing car seat, but you should try to use a front-facing car seat first, and if they cross the limits of this seat, they should be shifted to a booster seat.
6 Year Old
A 6-year-old should have no qualms in sitting in a front-facing car seat, but if they do not fit inside the limits of the seat, they should use a booster seat, and they are required to do so until they are 4 feet and 9 inches in height.
7 – 9 Year Old
A lot can change between the ages of 7 and 9, and while your child will need to be in a booster seat below the age of 8, they can stop using it once they are eight years old unless they are shorter than the height above.
10 Year Old
By ten years old, your child is under no legal obligation to use a booster seat unless they are shorter than 4 feet and 9 inches.
At this point, they should be using the car seat belts for adults.
Car Seat Weight And Height Requirements In Oklahoma
The height and weight of your child is not the major factor when it comes to the laws surrounding car seats in Oklahoma.
However, there are a few things you need to look out for.
Your child should be in a rear-facing car seat when they are an infant and must continue to use it until they outgrow the seat.
Then they must use a forward-facing car until they outgrow it in the same manner, moving up to a booster seat.
Once they are 4 feet and 9 inches tall, they can stop using car seats and simply use the seat belts available in the car.
Type Of Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
Each car seat you have to use as your child grows up has a multitude of laws you must take care of if you want to obey the rules of the state.
1. Rear Facing Car Seat
Regarding rear-facing car seats, the first thing you need to take care of is that they must be used if the child is under two years old, and you have to ensure that the child is perfectly secured in them.
2. Forward Facing Car Seat
For forward-facing car seats, you need to have a harness included in the car seat, which is an important tool if you want to keep your child secured.
Other than that, it is recommended to use a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible.
3. Booster Seat
Booster seats must raise your child to a height where they can comfortably use the car’s lap and shoulder seat belts.
Apart from this, you just have to ensure the child is perfectly comfortable in this car seat.
When Is The Time For My Child To Sit In The Front Seat In Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has not set any law or age for which you can have your child sit in the front seat of the car. This means you can essentially have your child of any age sit in the front seat.
State experts recommend that you should have your child sit in the front seat once they are older than 13 years or when they are fully comfortable using car seats.
What Happens If You Leave Your Child In A Car In Oklahoma?
Leaving your child unattended in a car in Oklahoma can have serious consequences.
The main way to break this law is by leaving your child while the weather conditions are too extreme or if the car is running.
You will not receive any penalty if there is someone above 12 years old that is monitoring the child.
If you are caught breaking this rule, then you will be subject to a fine of $200. Subsequent fines will cost you $500, and if you do so under alcohol, you will be fined $1,000.
Taxi Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
Like many other states, Oklahoma does not enforce its car seat rules on people riding in taxis. You are free to travel by your child in a taxi without using a booster seat.
You will not be fined if caught doing so; however, it is recommended for the safety of your child that you should carry a booster seat with you when traveling in a taxi.
Oklahoma Law Regarding Car Seats In Accidents
When it comes to accidents, there is no such word in the laws of the state of Oklahoma.
You will not be entitled to a new car seat or a replacement car seat in the event of a car crash or other accident.
Due to this, it falls upon you to get a new car seat upon surviving an accident as car seats, despite being so durable, are only good for a one-car crash.
Uber Car Seat Laws In Oklahoma
Similar to laws in place for taxis, you are not required to carry a car seat when traveling with your child in an Uber or any other car hiring application.
If the police pull you over, they will not fine you for your lack of a booster seat.
Despite being legal to ride without your child in a booster seat, getting a good quality booster seat that is easy and fast to set up is recommended so that you can provide a safer traveling environment for your child.
Conclusion
Oklahoma car seat laws depend on the type of car you are using and the age of your child. While most other states try to enforce various height and weight rules into car seat laws.
The state of Oklahoma has them set in such a way that you only have to worry about the height and weight of the child once they have outgrown their current seat.
Hopefully, this information helps clear all of your problems and makes it much easier for you to follow the rules that the state of Oklahoma has set.
I am Tahir Azam, and I have been writing amazing articles for TaxiHack for as long as I can remember. I know everything that is to know when it comes to automobiles and is always on top of industry news and developments. While I am not an expert by any means, I pride myself on knowing the ins and outs of many different problems and, of course, their solutions. The articles on our website are some of the best and well-researched content that you will find, and I spend countless hours making sure this remains to be true. This is why I ask you to take your time out and read some of my articles, especially if you find a topic that resonates with you or is something you are looking into. This way, you will find the perfect mix of information and tips on your desired topic. Learn more about Tahir.
