In Maryland, what must all children under age eight use while riding in a vehicle?

In Maryland, children under the age of eight are required by law to be secured in an age-appropriate child safety seat. This regulation is based on safety guidelines that aim to protect young passengers during travel. Child safety seats are specifically designed to accommodate the size and weight of children, providing proper restraint and reducing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.

An age-appropriate safety seat accounts for the various stages of a child's growth, ensuring that they are adequately protected as they transition from rear-facing seats to forward-facing seats and eventually to booster seats. This requirement emphasizes the importance of using the correct type of seat belt or child restraint system according to the child's age and development, thereby enhancing their safety while traveling in a vehicle.

Though booster seats are also used for children who are too big for a harnessed car seat but still too small to use the vehicle's seat belt alone safely, the term "age-appropriate child safety seat" encompasses a broader range of car seat types, including rear-facing and forward-facing options, which are essential for younger children. Regular passenger seats or just seatbelts without the appropriate restraint system do not provide the necessary protection for children in that age group.