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Family safety · Michigan City Ford · Michigan City, IN
Indiana Car Seat Law and Car Seat Guidelines by Age
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13, so choosing the right car seat and using it correctly every trip matters. Here is what Indiana's child passenger safety law requires and the car seat stages the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) recommends, from rear-facing to the seat belt.
Under 8must ride in a federally approved child restraint, which can include a booster
8 to 15must be restrained in a child restraint or seat belt in every seat
Age 12ride in the back seat at least through this age (ICJI recommendation)
100+permanent car seat inspection locations the ICJI helps fund
The short answer
In Indiana, children less than eight years old must be properly restrained in a federally approved child restraint system, which can include a belt-positioning booster seat. From age 8 until their 16th birthday, children must be restrained in a child restraint or seat belt in every seating position. The ICJI recommends rear-facing as long as possible, then a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether, then a booster until the seat belt fits, with children in the back seat at least through age 12.
What Indiana's car seat law requires
The ICJI summarizes Indiana's child passenger safety law this way:
- Children less than 8 years old must be properly restrained in a federally approved child restraint system, which can include a belt-positioning booster seat.
- Children at least 8 years old until their 16th birthday must be properly restrained in a child restraint or seat belt in all seating positions in all vehicles.
From the ICJI Children (Find the Right Car Seat) page, read November 9, 2026, which links to more information on Indiana's child restraint law. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Car seat stages by age
Select a car seat based on your child's age and size, choose one that fits your vehicle, and use it every time. The ICJI recommendations by age:
| Age | Seat | What the ICJI recommends |
|---|---|---|
| Birth to 12 months | Rear-facing car seat | A child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing. Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing; convertible and all-in-one seats typically have higher rear-facing height and weight limits. |
| 1 to 3 years | Rear-facing as long as possible | Stay rear-facing until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer, then move to a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether. |
| 4 to 7 years | Forward-facing seat with harness and tether | Stay in it until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the manufacturer, then move to a booster seat, still in the back seat. |
| 8 to 12 years | Booster seat until the seat belt fits | Stay in a booster until the child is big enough for the seat belt to fit properly. Ride in the back seat. |
From the ICJI Children (Find the Right Car Seat) page, read November 9, 2026, which points families to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's car seat recommendations. The age ranges overlap: move out of a rear-facing or forward-facing seat only when your child outgrows its height or weight limit, and out of a booster only when the seat belt fits properly.
When the seat belt fits
Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The ICJI says a seat belt fits properly when:
- the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and
- the shoulder belt lies snugly across the shoulder and chest and does not cross the neck or face.
Your child should still ride in the back seat, because it is safer there. From the ICJI Children page, read November 9, 2026.
Installing a car seat
Always refer to your car seat manufacturer's instructions, including its height and weight limits, and read your vehicle owner's manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or the lower anchors and a tether, if available.
To maximize safety, the ICJI says to keep your child in each car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer's height and weight requirements.
Register your car seat and sign up for recall notices to receive safety updates.
From the ICJI Children page, read November 9, 2026. The ICJI page links to detailed installation instructions and videos for rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seats.
Get your car seat inspected
The ICJI helps fund more than 100 permanent locations where families and caregivers can have their child restraint installation inspected by a certified child passenger safety technician. It also offers training for Indiana's technicians through a partnership with the Automotive Safety Program.
The ICJI notes that child safety seat checkpoints routinely find that eight out of ten children are not properly restrained in appropriate child safety seats or belt systems. Find a station with the ICJI fitting station finder.
From the ICJI Children and Child Passenger Safety pages, read November 9, 2026.
Service and maintenance at Michigan City Ford
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check. Check your vehicle owner's manual for car seat installation guidance.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Michigan City Ford is at 3930 Franklin St. in Michigan City. Get directions.
Michigan City Ford service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. |
| Sun | closed |
From Michigan City Ford's website, November 9, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Indiana car seat FAQ
What is the car seat law in Indiana?
According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), Indiana's child passenger safety law requires all children less than eight years of age to be properly restrained in a federally approved child restraint system, which can include a belt-positioning booster seat. Children at least 8 years old until their 16th birthday must be properly restrained in a child restraint or seat belt in all seating positions in all vehicles.
How long should my child ride rear-facing?
As long as possible. The ICJI says a child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing, and a child should stay in a rear-facing car seat until reaching the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer.
When can my child switch to a forward-facing car seat?
Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, meaning the top height or weight limit allowed by its manufacturer, the ICJI says your child is ready for a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.
When can my child stop using a booster seat?
When your child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The ICJI says the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Indiana law requires a child restraint system, which can include a booster, for all children less than eight years of age.
When can my child ride in the front seat?
The ICJI recommends keeping your child in the back seat at least through age 12.
Where can I get my car seat checked in Indiana?
The ICJI helps fund more than 100 permanent locations where families and caregivers can have their child restraint installation inspected by a certified child passenger safety technician. Use the ICJI fitting station finder to find one near you.
How do I install a car seat in my Ford?
The ICJI says to always follow your car seat manufacturer's instructions, including its height and weight limits, and to read your vehicle owner's manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or the lower anchors and a tether, if available.
What does The Works at Michigan City Ford include?
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Questions about your Ford?
Schedule service with the Michigan City Ford team, or read our guide to Indiana's seat belt law.
Sources
Indiana car seat law and car seat recommendations are from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, read November 9, 2026. Service details, address and hours are from Michigan City Ford's own website. This page is general information, not legal advice. Photo is illustrative.
- Traffic Safety Division: Children (Find the Right Car Seat), Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), Traffic Safety Division, read November 9, 2026
- Traffic Safety Division: Child Passenger Safety, Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), Traffic Safety Division, read November 9, 2026
- General service: The Works, Michigan City Ford, November 9, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Michigan City Ford, November 9, 2026