Driver's License Test Prep
Texas Practice Safety Belts & Restraints

When does Texas require a child to ride in a federally approved child car seat in a vehicle equipped with safety belts?

  1. A.
    Any child under 8, unless the child is more than 4'9" tall. Correct
  2. B.
    Any child weighing less than 40 pounds, regardless of age.
  3. C.
    Any child under 12 riding in the back seat.
  4. D.
    Only infants under 12 months old.
The Why

The answer is "Any child under 8, unless the child is more than 4'9" tall."

The manual sets the child car seat rule at any child under 8, with a height override for a child taller than 4'9". A generic 'no front seat until 12' rule of thumb from public-safety pamphlets is what steers a test-taker to C, though Texas does not print that threshold.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

B. Any child weighing less than 40 pounds, regardless of age.

Texas uses an age-and-height test, not a weight cutoff. This answer substitutes a 40-pound weight limit from car-seat manufacturer instructions for the state's age and height standard.

C. Any child under 12 riding in the back seat.

The state threshold sits at under 8, not under 12, and covers every seat with a belt. This answer applies a generic 'no front seat until 12' rule of thumb from public-safety pamphlets, which Texas does not print.

D. Only infants under 12 months old.

The manual's car seat rule reaches all children under 8, not only infants. This answer applies a rear-facing infant guideline from car-seat labels, which sits far below the state's under-8 threshold.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Safety Belts & Restraints in Texas. Source: Texas Driver Manual, "Safety Belts," p.64..

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