Children's Seat Belt Law

Massachusetts Child Passenger Safety Law Effective: July 10, 2008

A passenger in a motor vehicle on any way who is under the age of 8 shall be fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint, unless such passenger measures more than 57 inches in height. The child passenger restraint shall be properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Unless required to be properly fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint under the preceding paragraph, a passenger in a motor vehicle on any way that is under the age of 13 shall wear a safety belt which is properly adjusted and fastened according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Provisions

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any such child who is: 

  1. Riding as a passenger in a school bus; 
  2. Riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle made before July first, nineteen hundred and sixty-six, that is not equipped with safety belts; 
  3. Physically unable to use either a conventional child passenger restraint or a child restraint specifically designed for children with special needs; provided, however, that such condition is duly certified in writing by a physician who shall state the nature of the disability as well as the reasons such restraints are inappropriate; provided, further, that no such certifying physician shall be subject to liability in a civil action for the issuance of or for the failure to issue such certificate.

An operator of a motor vehicle who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars; provided, however, that said twenty-five dollar fine shall not apply to an operator of a motor vehicle licensed as a taxi cab not equipped with a child passenger restraint device.

Child Passenger Restraint Information

"Child passenger restraint'', a device manufactured for the purpose of transporting children under five years of age in a motor vehicle equipped with seat belts in accordance with the provisions of federal laws and regulations, and approved by the United States Department of Transportation pursuant to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 213.