On September 1, 2026, a 22-month-old child weighs 42 pounds and is under 40 inches tall. The child is riding in an ordinary qualifying car, and no listed exception applies. Which restraint treatment follows?
Use an adult belt alone because the child weighs more than 40 pounds
Use a rear-facing restraint regardless of manufacturer limits
Use an appropriate compliant child restraint; rear-facing is no longer required solely because the child reached 40 pounds✓Correct answer
Use any forward-facing seat after 40 pounds, even when the child exceeds that restraint's manufacturer height or weight limits
Explanation
Reaching at least 40 pounds removes the rear-facing requirement even though the child is not yet two, but it does not erase the separate under-eight child-restraint duty. An ordinary adult belt alone is therefore insufficient; the chosen compliant restraint must remain appropriate for the child and within its manufacturer's limits.