Cars
Published on Oct 30, 2025 at 9:10 AM (UTC+4)
by Jason Fan
Last updated on Oct 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain
California’s new car seat law has sparked a wave of confusion, with some people convinced that even teenagers will soon be required to sit in booster seats.
Social media lit up with jokes and disbelief, with some users joking about the prospect of forcing their 15-year-olds into their old booster seats.
But in reality, the state’s latest safety measure isn’t about forcing teens into kiddie seats.
Instead, the new rule simply redefines what it means to be ‘properly restrained’ in a car.
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Starting in January 2027, California will introduce a five-step test to determine if minors under 16 are safely buckled up.
The checklist sounds simple enough: the child must be able to sit with their back against the seat, their knees must bend naturally at the seat’s edge, and the shoulder belt must rest across the chest, rather than the neck.
The lap belt should sit low across the thighs, not the stomach, and they have to maintain that position for the entire ride.
If any of those conditions aren’t met, it’s a sign the belt doesn’t fit properly.
This means that a booster seat might still be needed.
California’s new car seat law is authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, who aims to make safety guidelines clearer and more size-based rather than just age-based.
That’s where the confusion started.
So, no, your teenager won’t need to sit in a booster seat unless they’re small and don’t meet the size requirements.
But the law doesn’t care about birthdays; it’s all about seat belt fit, since a poorly fitting belt can be dangerous in a crash.
Currently, California law requires kids under 8 years old and shorter than 4’9” to use car seats or booster seats.
Older children can move to a standard seat belt, but only if it fits correctly.
The new rule tightens that definition, making sure that ‘properly restrained’ actually means properly restrained.
California has long been a trailblazer in car safety.
It was the first state to pass a booster seat law back in 2002 and even required lap belts in new cars as far back as 1955, decades before most of the country caught up.
The state also introduced a new law to completely transform the car-buying process, giving more transparency to shoppers when searching for a new car.
While California’s new car seat law is meant to boost safety, not every country shares that concern.
For example, a four-year-old in Turkey went viral for driving an 18-wheeler truck, while sitting on a booster seat.
The same kid one-upped himself a year later, almost hitting 200mph in a Lamborghini Revuelto, still sitting on his booster seat.
If your child refuses to sit in a car seat, you can let them know that sitting in a booster seat doesn’t mean you can’t be a badass.
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# Tags – California, Cars, Seat belt
Jason Fan is an experienced content creator who graduated from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore with a degree in communications. He then relocated to Australia during a millennial mid-life crisis. A fan of luxury travel and high-performance machines, he politely thanks chatbots just in case the AI apocalypse ever arrives. Jason covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on technology, planes and luxury.
Supercar Blondie finds and covers the coolest cars, tech, luxury and gaming in the world.
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