State Laws

Currently only 20 states in the US have laws that specifically make it illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle. Is your state one of them?

Learn more about your state’s regulations:

Alabama: Act No. 2019-475 Leaving a Child or Incapacitated Person in Vehicle Read

California: V C Section 15620 Prohibition Against Unattended Child in Vehicle Read

Connecticut: Sec 53-21a Leaving child unsupervised in place of public accommodation or vehicle Read

Florida: FSS 316.6135 Leaving children unattended or unsupervised in motor vehicle Read

Hawaii: 291C-121.5 Leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle Read

Illinois: Sec. 12 21.6. Endangering the life or health of a child Read

Kentucky: 507.040 Manslaughter in the Second Degree Read

Louisiana: RS 32:295.3 Leaving children unattended and unsupervised in motor vehicles Read

Maryland: 5-801 Unattended Children Read

Michigan: 750.135a.added Leaving child unattended in vehicle Read

Missouri: Sec 568.052 Leaving a child unattended in a vehicle who causes an accident Read

Nebraska: Revised 28-710 Child Protection Act Read

Nevada: 202.575 Leaving child unattended in motor vehicle Read

Oklahoma: Unattended Children in Motor Vehicle Safety Act Read

Pennsylvania: 3701.1. Leaving an unattended child in a motor vehicle Read

Rhode Island: § 31-22-22.1. Child passenger protection – Warnings of hazard and risk. Read

Read Tennessee: 55-10-803. Offense of leaving child unattended in motor vehicle Read

Texas: Sec. 22.10. Leaving a child in a vehicle Read

Utah: 76-10-2202 Leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle Read

Washington: RCW 46.61.685 Leaving children unattended in standing vehicle with motor running Read

Good Samaritan Laws:

Daycare Van or School Bus Alarm Laws

Child Restraint Laws

State laws regulating car seat, booster seat and seat belt use should be considered a bare minimum for safety, especially when it comes to child restraint. KidsAndCars.org recommends that parents follow recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The AAP recommends:

Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for 2 years or more.

Once they are facing forward, children should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, until they reach the height and weight limits for their seats. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds or more.

When children exceed these limits, they should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s lap and shoulder seat belt fits properly. This is often when they have reached at least 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years old.

When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.

All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.State Laws – http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/safetybeltuse?topicName=child-safety

Seat belt, distracted driving, impaired driving laws

Learn about the laws in your state HERE

Idling Vehicle Laws

Learn which states have laws making it illegal to leave your car idling HERE