Child Passenger Safety
Child Passenger Safety
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13 in America. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) strives to reduce serious injuries and fatal crashes by educating parents, caregivers, and members of the community about the proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts. Find a Child Passenger Safety Fitting Station near you to meet with a trained CPS Technician for advice on using your child's car seat properly.
Tennessee's Child Restraint Law
In 1977, Tennessee became the first state to pass a child restraint law. Dr. Robert Sanders, the Murfreesboro pediatrician known as “Dr. Seat Belt,” played an extraordinary role in the passage of Tennessee’s Child Passenger Protection Act. He and his wife, Pat, lobbied the Tennessee General Assembly for several years to pass this legislation. At the time, car seat use was less than 15 percent, and car crashes were the leading cause of death for young children.
The law went into effect in 1978, sparking legislative efforts in other states across the nation. Dr. Sanders became known as the pioneer of this groundbreaking movement. By 1985, all 50 states adopted a mandatory child restraint law.
The following changes have been made to the Child Passenger Restraint Law effective July 1st, 2004. For more information on Tennessee's Child Restraint laws, refer to T.C.A. 55-9-602.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 5-Step Test:
Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
Does the shoulder belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit correctly for the best crash protection. *The “5 Step Test” was developed by SafetyBeltSafe, USA.
As used in this section, unless specified otherwise, “passenger motor vehicle” means any motor vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) or less, that is not used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers.
RIDESHARE by private passenger motor vehicle: Drivers and riders should comply with local laws when traveling with infants and small children. Where use of a car seat is required by law, it’s the rider’s responsibility to provide and fit a suitable car seat, unless local guidelines, terms, or other policies say otherwise. Children age 12 and under should travel in the back seat.
Additional Resources
- Free Child Passenger Safety Materials
- Find a Fitting Station Near You
- NHTSA
- Safe Kids Worldwide
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- The National Child Passenger Safety Board
- Children in Autonomous Vehicles
- No Heat Stroke — Heatstroke prevention resources
- TN Child Passenger Safety App — iOS
- TN Child Passenger Safety App — Android
Advocates & Technicians
CPS Calendar
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Safe Journey Seat Check -
Smithville |
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KPD Car Seat Checkpoint Event -
Knoxville |
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Car Seat Check Station -
Smyrna Car Seat Check Point -
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Safe Journey Seat Check -
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Child Seat Safety Check -
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KPD Car Seat Checkpoint Event -
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Safe Journey Seat Check -
Celina |
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Contact: Julie Brewer
- Director, TN Occupant Protection Center
- jbrewer@tntech.edu
- 931-372-3318 (Direct)
- 800-99-BELTS (THSO)