Parents, Forget Age: Here's How Long Your Child Must Stay in a Car Seat
Height and seat belt position are what matter, not age, and breaking the rules carries a fine of 130 euros. The Croatian Automobile Club and the law are clear.
Height and seat belt position are what matter, not age, and breaking the rules carries a fine of 130 euros. The Croatian Automobile Club and the law are clear.
Many parents mistakenly believe that a child's age is the key factor in when to stop using a car seat, but the reality is quite different. According to Croatia's Road Traffic Safety Act, the deciding criteria are not age but the child's height and how the seat belt lies on their body.
The basic rule is that any child shorter than 150 centimeters must be placed in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat, properly secured according to the manufacturer's instructions. This means that two children of the same age may have different requirements-one may still need a child restraint system due to their height, while the other may already be able to use a standard adult seat belt.
The law also provides an important exception. A child who is at least 135 cm tall but under 150 cm may sit in the rear seat without a child seat or booster, provided that the adult seat belt can be correctly positioned on them. This is precisely why the question "until what age" does not have a one-size-fits-all answer.
The Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) recommends, for safety reasons, using a child restraint system until the child reaches about 150 centimeters in height or approximately 40 kilograms in weight. At that point, the vehicle's seat belt generally fits correctly on the body.
The correct positioning of the seat belt is crucial for safety. The lap belt must sit across the hips, not the stomach, while the shoulder belt must cross the middle of the shoulder, not the neck. If the child slides forward or the belt crosses the neck and stomach, it is a clear sign that it is too early to ride without a proper booster seat.
A special rule applies to rear-facing car seats placed in the front passenger seat. If the front airbag is active, transporting a child in such a seat is prohibited-the airbag must be deactivated.
The law prescribes a fine of 130 euros for drivers who violate the rules on transporting children. The simplest rule parents can remember is: "Don't just look at age. Look at the child's height and how the seat belt lies on their body."
