Effective November 1, 2019, all children under the age of 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat. Safety tips for specific seats and age groups:The car seat of the youngest person in the car should be placed in the middle of the backseat. State officials require all seats and restraint systems to be certified as outlined under Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 213. In cases where car seat laws are violated, liability and negligence may be easier to establish. New York state child safety laws require children to ride in car seats until they are eight years old. The best safety practice is to continue to use booster seats until children are able to fit in an adult seat belt (at about 4'9" tall and 80 pounds). All children must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system while riding in a motor vehicle, until they reach their 8th birthday. Children who are at least 60 pounds and at least 6 years of age (up to 15) can be sufficiently restrained in a vehicle safety belt. The new law supersedes New York State motor vehicle law which requires drivers to maintain a "safe distance" when passing bicyclists.