• South Dakota requires car seats for children under age five and 40 pounds.child in the car image by Natalia Pavlova from Fotolia.com
  
  Car seat laws are in place to keep children safe and restrained while the vehicle is on the road. Each state has its own specific regulations for child safety seats including weight requirements, proper placement of the safety seat in the vehicle and age requirements. Parents who fail to restrain children in a moving vehicle can face fines and penalties. South Dakota has car seat laws in place that require parents to restrain children in a vehicle.
  
  

Car Seats

• In South Dakota, a child must be placed in a state-approved car seat until they reach 40 pounds and 5 years old. Children who are 5 years old and older but still weigh less than 40 pounds must use the child safety seat until reaching the weight requirement. South Dakota does not require parents to place children into the rear of the vehicle while in a safety seat, but it is recommended in vehicles with passenger-side airbags. The state does not require infants to be placed into a rear-facing child seat as well.
  
  

Booster Seats

• South Dakota does not specifically require the use of a booster seat for children riding in a vehicle, but a booster seat is an acceptable child restraint for children who are older than 4 and do not meet the weight requirements for an adult seat belt. Children over 40 pounds, but 4 years old or younger can use a booster seat as well.
  
  

Adult Safety Belts

• Children under age 18 must use a safety seat or adult seat belts at all times in South Dakota. Parents and adult drivers are required to ensure that children under age 18 are restrained in the vehicle at all times regardless of position in the vehicle. The maximum penalty for a first offense for parents or adults transporting children is $20.