Child Passenger Safety

Many motor vehicle deaths of children ages 1-13 can be prevented with proper use of child safety seats. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, three out of four child safety seats are used incorrectly.

C​ar seats for children in Dakota Co​unty

Expecting families and parents with children up to age 9 may be able to receive a free car seat.

Families on Medical Assistance can request a car seat with these insurance plans:

  • Blue Plus: Contact Everyday Miracles at 612-353-6293 or request online.
  • HealthPartners: Contact member services at 952-967-7998.
  • Medica: Contact member services at 1-800-373-8335. Receive $70 towards a car seat during pregnancy. 
  • UCare: Contact member services at 612-676-3200.

Families with Fee for Services Medical Assistance (Straight MA), or those who are uninsured, can request a car seat by contacting the Dakota County Car Seat Program at 952-891-7523 or emailing phcarseats@co.dakota.mn.us. ​​

Get your car seat checked

The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, local police departments and other agencies can check your car seat for proper use.
See a list of local contacts to set up an appointment (opens in a new tab)

Minnesota law

In 2024, Minnesota updated the Child Pa​ssenger Safety Law. The law requires that people do the following:

  • Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible, at least until age two. Rear-facing is the safest position, letting us better protect the child's head, neck and spine.
  • Once your child has outgrown their rear-facing car seat and they are at least age two, they can ride in a forward-facing car seat with an internal 5-point harness. They should continue to ride in the forward-facing car seat until they are at least age four and have outgrown the seat by the height or weight limit, according to the car seat manufacturer.
  • Children need to ride in a booster seat until at least age 9 or until they've outgrown the booster seat and they can pass the 5-step test. When a child can do all five steps, they are ready to ride with the lap and shoulder belt on the vehicle seat.
  • Children under the age of 13 must sit in a back seat of the vehicle, if possible.
  • Every driver who transports a child under the age of 18 years in a motor vehicle, is required to have the child restrained in a car seat or seat belt.

More resources

For instructions on choosing a car seat and how to properly install a child safety seat, visit Minnesota Department of Public Safety website.

For more information, contact:
Public Health
952-891-7523
Last updated: 08/10/2026