As a parent, I know that shuffling boosters and child seats can be a hassle so, before I get to the laws, let me underscore the simple point that crash data shows that children’s safety seats and boosters offer significantly better protection for your children than a regular seatbelt.

For instance, a harness-based child restraint reduced fatalities by over 50% for babies under 1. Children restrained in rear-seats were 50-75% less likely to die than those seated in the front. (see Transporting Children Safely)

Those laws? Here’s the short of it, extracted from ODOT (the Oregon Department of Transportation).

1. Children must be in child safety seats until 40 lbs.
2. Infants must face the rear until age 2.
3. Kids over 40 lbs must use a booster until age 8 or 4 ft 9 in.
4. Safety experts recommend that children should sit in rear seat until age 12.

Okay, okay, but when I can I break the kid out of the booster? ODOT says you should be able to answer “yes” to these questions.

1. Can the child sit all the way back against the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay comfortably seated like this for the whole trip?