Car Seat Program

The Colerain Township Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services is dedicated to keeping infants and children safe while in a motor vehicle. It is imperative that parents know and understand the passenger safety laws and car seat requirements. Information has been provided below regarding car and booster seat laws in Ohio.

Our department has a dedicated group of individuals who are certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) and can assist you with passenger safety seat installation and inspection. This is a free service provided to the community, as a continued effort toward overall community risk reduction and injury prevention. The Colerain Township Fire Department’s team of technicians installs or inspects more than 150 seats annually, which translates to 150 more children riding safely during travel each year.   

Please call (513) 245-5451 to schedule an appointment with a technician.

Scope of the Problem 

Motor vehicle deaths are a leading cause of death among children in the United States, but many of these deaths could be prevented.

  • In the United States, 723 children ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes during 2016, and more than 128,000 were injured.
  • One Center for Disease Control (CDC) study found that, in one year, more than 618,000 children ages 0-12 rode in vehicles without the use of a child safety or booster seat, or only used a seat belt some of the time.
  • Of the children ages 12 years and younger who died in a crash in 2016 (for which restraint use was known) 35% were not buckled up.

You can visit SAFE KIDS WORLDWIDE for additional car seat information, safety tips, car seat sizing and more at the link provided here.  Safe Kids Worldwide. 

Ohio Car and Booster Seat Law

Ohio's children are required to use belt-positioning booster seats once they outgrow their child safety seats.

Ohio's Child Passenger Safety Law is defined in Ohio Revised Code 4511.81.

As of Oct. 7, 2009, Ohio’s children are required to use belt-positioning booster seats once they outgrow their child safety seats until they are 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches (57 inches) tall.

Ohio’s child passenger safety law requires the following:

  • Children less than 4 years old or 40 pounds must use a child safety seat meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards.
  • Children less than 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall must use a booster seat.
  • Children ages 8-15 must use a child safety seat or safety belt.


1. Rear-Facing Car Seats

  • Babies and young children are required by Ohio law to be in child safety seats until they are at least 4 years old and weigh more than 40 pounds.

  • For best protection, infants and toddlers should be in safety seats facing the back of the car until 2 years of age, or until reaching the maximum height or weight of their convertible car seat.

2. Forward-Facing Car Seats

  • Once a child has outgrown the weight or height limits of the rear-facing seat, he or she can switch to a seat that faces forward.

  • Infants must not face forward until they are at least 1 year old and weigh at least 20 pounds.

  • Children should remain in a harnessed car seat until reaching the weight or height limit of the seat. Most car seats have forward-facing weight limits of 40-65 pounds.

3. Booster Seats

  • Once a child reaches 4 years of age and weighs at least 40 pounds, she can move to a booster seat.

  • A child is required by law to use the booster seat until she is 8 years old or 4’9” tall.

  • Both backless and high back booster seats are available. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see which is best for your child.

4. Lap and Shoulder Seat belts

  • Most children are ready to use a lap and shoulder seat belt without a booster when they are about 4’9” tall.

  • Children are required by law to be secured in a child safety seat or seat belt until they are 15 years old.

  • For best protection, everyone in the car should be buckled up on every trip.

Fines will range from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $75 per occurrence. A booster seat can be purchased for as little as $15. Don’t wait for a ticket!