New law will take effect Jan. 1, 2025 to keep kids safe

News Release

Dec. 4, 2024 - Colorado - Updates to Colorado’s car seat laws help protect child passengers

Nueva ley entra en vigencia el 1 de enero de 2025 para mantener a los niños seguros en español

Statewide — On June 4, 2024, Gov. Jared Polis signed a new bill that updates Colorado’s child restraint system law for the first time in 14 years. The updates reflect the latest research and recommendations on child passenger safety, ensuring that the laws keep pace with evolving best practices. CDOT will launch an awareness campaign in January to ensure that Coloradans are aware of the new updates to the laws. Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for children in the U.S., according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Key Child Passenger Safety Law Changes Effective Jan. 1, 2025:

  • Booster seats: Children must now use a car seat or booster seat until they are 9 years old (previously under 8 years old)
  • Rear-facing car seats: Children under 2 years old and weighing under 40 pounds must be restrained in a rear-facing car seat in the rear seat if available (previously under 1 year old and under 20 pounds). Children under 2 years old but weighing over 40 pounds may use either a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat
  • Seat belt or car seat requirement ages: Children under 18 years old must now be properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint system (previously under 16 years old)

For more details on these and other changes, visit the Colorado Child Passenger Safety Law webpage.

Car Seats Colorado emphasizes that car seats, booster seats and seat belts are developed to protect children based on their size, not their age. Even if your child looks big enough to move to the next size seat, be sure to follow all manufacturer recommendations on the car seat label.

“It’s important to remember that car seat fit is highly individualized,” said Trooper Kent Trimbach of the Colorado State Patrol and program coordinator for Car Seats Colorado. “The fit must be based on the child's size and developmental stage, not just their age. Ensuring each car seat is properly adjusted and installed is crucial for maximizing safety.”

Properly securing children in car seats that meet federal motor vehicle safety standards significantly enhances their safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that child restraints reduce fatalities by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers in passenger cars.​

Last year in Colorado, 78% of car seats inspected by child passenger safety technicians were not being used correctly or were not installed properly, according to the Child Passenger Safety Board’s National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database. This figure is an increase from 2022, when the misuse rate was just under 70%.

Factors contributing to improperly restrained children include an incorrectly installed car seat, use of a car seat that does not fit the child based on their size and development, not properly securing the harness or seat belt, and moving a child out of a booster seat too soon. In addition, too often, parents move their children to the front seat before they should, which increases the risk of injury and death, even if that child is buckled up. Children under 13 years of age should always ride in the back seat.

Parents and caregivers can have their car seats checked for free by a certified technician to ensure proper installation and fit. To locate a car seat inspection location near you, visit CarSeatsColorado.com.

“Ensuring your child is protected in the car starts with using the proper safety restraint and making sure it’s installed correctly,” said Darrell Lingk, director of the Highway Safety Office at CDOT. “We offer many resources to make this as easy as possible for families, because these little ones rely entirely on their caregivers for their safety.”

The Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will continue to prioritize enforcing proper child passenger restraint use. Parents and caregivers are responsible for properly restraining a child and will be ticketed if they fail to do so.

If you are unable to afford a car seat for your child(ren), WeeCycle, Children’s Hospital Colorado and SafeKids Colorado Springs have programs through which families can get a free or low-cost car seat. Visit their websites for more information.

Learn more about how to keep children safe in vehicles and download informational resources at CarSeatsColorado.com.

About Car Seats Colorado

Car Seats Colorado is a joint effort of the Colorado State Patrol, CDOT, local car seat technicians, law enforcement, emergency services and other professionals who are dedicated to implementing child passenger safety programs and encouraging parents to take the necessary steps to protect their children when in vehicles. Learn more about how to keep children safe in vehicles and download informational resources at CarSeatsColorado.com.

Know Before You Go

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

Remember: Slow For The Cone Zone

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.
  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.
  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.
  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.
  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.
  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.
  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.
  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.
  • Be patient!

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!