Best place to find car seat requirements?

[elektra]

Does anyone have a link to a specific webpage that lists all the current laws about car seat limits or restrictions? What about preferences vs. laws? I glanced at carseatdata.org, but couldn't find a grid or anything that listed it all out.
I'm just confused about all the height, weight, rear vs. forward facing age limits, etc. And then it seems like there is the legal minimum requirement and then there is what's safest, and those 2 things aren't always the same.
My daughter is only 5 months old, 14 pounds, and still several inches away from the top of her infant seat (chicco keyfit) so I know we have several good months left in that seat. However, I'm already thinking ahead to what type of convertible seat to buy, and my nanny was just asking me about the seat and what the limit was, and what the laws are these days about weight limits and such, since her kids are a little older now. I was so happy that she brought it up out of the blue and that she wants to make sure my baby has the right type of seat. :)

[Joolsplus2]

It depends on what state you're in. But we like to follow 'best practice', which no laws reflect as yet. You should rearface to the limits of a convertible seat (30,33,35 pounds and head even with the top of the seat...that's age 2-4 for most kids, depending on the seat and how fast they grow...shoot for at least age 2 for optimal safety, longer is better, though). Then you harness as long as the seat allows (a tall seat, usually with a 65 pound weight limit)... age 5 is optimal right now, from the reduction in head injuries that harnessing affords (in reality it's probably best to harness even longer, but injury data takes a long time to roll in and prove it, so shoot for 5, the Britax Marathon easily rearfaces to a full 33 pounds/age 3ish, and forward faces to age 5-6 for 'most' kids). Then a booster till almost 5 ft tall (www.boosterseat.gov) which is about age 10 for most kids, 8 for big kids, 12 for petite kids.
My dd fit in her Key Fit till about a year :) (And she was a huge 5 month old! I didn't think she'd fit THAT long!).

I'm sure someone else has a link for the state laws, I'm on the 'wrong' computer right now and am linkless, lol.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[elektra]

Thanks Julie. You are the reason I got the KeyFit in the first place! I checked out the pics of your daughter in all the seats. ;) We are happy with the KeyFit so far, and I'll probably end up just getting a Marathon later. I was just curious as to the specific weight limits and all that. I live in California, BTW, and I'm sure if I do some searching online I'll find a page that has it clearly spelled out, I was just hoping someone here knew of the link already.
Thanks again.

[Joolsplus2]

www.carseat.org is in california, they have all the laws...but it's just 'use a restraint properly (ie, follow the mfrs instructions) till age 6 or 60 pounds'...and then you have to have proper use of the seatbelt, which means really you need a restraint (booster or harnessed) till about 4'9"... it's a good law, but not very clear to the average parent, but it's why Ahnold didn't pass the age 8 law last year. Just follow best practice: Rearface to about age 2 or 30 pounds (maximum weight of the rearfacing convertible/head below the top of the seatback), forward-face harnessed to at least 40 pounds, preferably age 5 or older, booster till the seatbelt fits, at least age 10 for most kids in most cars, puberty is better, because then the hipbones hold the lapbelt low so it won't cut the soft tissue on the belly.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx