Seat position, seat belts and child safety

Key points

1. Leave 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel because of the air bag.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-1

   “Leave 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel because of the airbag.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-1

2. In Maine it is against the law to drive without wearing a safety belt.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-2

   “In Maine it is against the law to drive without wearing a safety belt.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-2

3. With lap and shoulder belts, your chances of surviving a crash are 3 to 4 times as good.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-2

   “If you are wearing both lap belt and shoulder strap your chances are three to four times as good.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-2

4. About 45,000 people die in U.S. crashes each year; crashes are the top cause of death from ages 1 to 34.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-3

   “Approximately 45,000 people die in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. each year. Such crashes are the primary cause of death for people between the ages of 1 and 34.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-3

5. Lap and shoulder belts reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury by 40 to 55%.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-3

   “When used properly lap and shoulder belts can reduce the risk of a serious or fatal injury by 40-55%.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-3

6. Children 12 and under must ride in the back seat, and a rear facing seat never goes in front of an active air bag.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-4

   “All children age 12 and under must be in the back seat. Never place a rear-facing child safety seat in front of an active passenger air bag.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-4

7. Infants under 2 should always ride in the back seat facing the rear.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-4

   “Infants, under age 2, should always ride in the back seat facing the rear.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-4

8. A child under 55 pounds must be in a child safety seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-4

   “When a child who weighs less than 55 pounds is being transported in a motor vehicle that is required by the United States Department of Transportation to be equipped with safety belts, the operator must have the child properly secured in a child safety seat.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-4

9. A child of 55 to 80 pounds who is under 8 must use a federally approved child restraint system.

   Source: Handbook p. 4-5

   “The operator shall ensure that a child who weighs at least 55 pounds but less than 80 pounds and who is less than 8 years of age is properly secured in a federally approved child restraint system.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-5

10. A child under 12 who weighs less than 100 pounds rides in the rear seat if possible.

    Source: Handbook p. 4-5

    “The operator shall ensure that a child who is less than 12 years of age and who weighs less than 100 pounds is properly secured in the rear seat of a vehicle, if possible.”
    Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 4-5

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Maine practice test

1. 1. By how much do properly used lap and shoulder belts reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury, according to the Maine handbook?

   1. 40 to 55 percent
   2. 100 percent
   3. 5 percent
   4. 10 percent
   Show answer

   40 to 55 percent. When used properly, lap and shoulder belts can reduce the risk of a serious or fatal injury by 40 to 55 percent. Wear the lap belt low across the hips and the shoulder belt across the chest, never behind the back. Infants under age 2 should always ride in the back seat facing the rear, and every passenger must be belted under Maine law.

2. 2. How should an infant under age 2 ride in a vehicle under Maine's child safety guidance?

   1. In the front seat facing forward
   2. In the back seat facing the rear
   3. In the back seat without a restraint for short trips
   4. On an adult passenger's lap in the front seat
   Show answer

   In the back seat facing the rear. Maine's child safety guidance says infants under age 2 should always ride in the back seat facing the rear. A forward facing position is identified for children age 2 and older, and neither an unrestrained short trip nor an adult's lap provides the required protection. The front seat is especially unsafe when a passenger air bag is active. The cue is age and direction together: under two means rear facing in the back seat, with the child restraint used according to its instructions.

3. 3. Under current Maine law, which child must ride in a belt positioning seat or other child restraint system?

   1. A child weighing 80 pounds or more who is 12 years old
   2. Any child under 18 who is taller than 57 inches
   3. A child under 8 who weighs less than 80 pounds and is less than 57 inches tall
   4. Any passenger age 18 or older riding in the rear seat
   Show answer

   A child under 8 who weighs less than 80 pounds and is less than 57 inches tall. Maine requires a child who is younger than 8, weighs less than 80 pounds and is shorter than 57 inches to be secured in a belt positioning seat or other child restraint system, following the seat and vehicle instructions. All three conditions must match. Older handbooks describe a 55 to 80 pound range, but Maine amended the law in 2019; younger and lighter children now fall under separate harness and rear facing rules. A first violation carries a fine that the court may not suspend.

Source: the Maine Driver's License Manual, Section 4: Before You Drive. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.