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 
  • Maine: HP 78 An Act to Prohibit Leaving a Child Under 10 in a Vehicle 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
  • 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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Child Care Absence Call Laws:

New Jersey has a law requiring a parent or guardian to notify child care centers if a child will be absent and also requires child care centers to notify a parent or guardian in the event of an unexcused child absence (formerly bill A-3277/S-559 signed into law on 1/7/2021). 

New York Law (§47.29 (d) page 23) has a regulation in place that requires parents to call within an hour of expected arrival time if child will be absent for the day and also requires child care providers to call families and inform them of the unexpected absence within an hour or their normal arrival time if the child does not show up as scheduled.

Childcare Vehicle 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