New law requires car booster seats for older kids

Buckling young kids into a seat belt isn’t enough any more. Under a new Minnesota law, young passengers need to be in a child safety seat or booster seat until they are age 8 or 4 feet 9 inches tall. Wisconsin has had a similar law since 2006. Minnesota's law, which went into effect July 1, 2009, is aimed at keeping kids ages 4-8 safe, said Jenn Hoff, Injury Prevention Coordinator with the Trauma Program at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. “The problem is, seat belts don’t fit kids properly,” Hoff explained. In an accident, the position of the shoulder or lap belt can actually cause injuries rather than prevent them, she said.
“The lap belt rides up on a child’s stomach and can cause serious abdominal injuries,” Hoff said. “The shoulder belt can cut across the neck, making it uncomfortable. So sometimes children tuck the shoulder belt	A new Minnesota law requires children under age 8 and 4 feet 9 inches to be in booster safety seats. Wisconsin has had a similar law since 2006.
under their arms or behind their backs. In a crash, the child bends way over, which can cause abdominal injury or spinal cord trauma. Children can even be ejected from the vehicle.” The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports only 30 percent of Minnesota children use booster seats. In the last five years, 18 children ages 4-8 were killed in crashes and 3,047 were injured. The department says children ages 4-7 who are in lap and shoulder belts are 2.5 times more likely to be injured than those in properly installed booster seats.	Video Jenn Hoff demonstrates how to properly install and use a child booster seat. Web sites For more information on booster seats and other child safety seats, go to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Buckle Up Kids (www.buckleupkids.state.mn.us) or Car Seats Made Simple (www.carseatsmadesimple.org).

The Department of Public Safety also found that three out of every four child restraints are used incorrectly, meaning a child was riding in the wrong restraint or the restraint was not properly secured.

A booster seat lifts a child up on the seat, allowing the lap belt to sit low and snug across the hips and upper thighs while the shoulder belt fits snug across the middle of the chest and the middle of the shoulder. Children around age 4 who weigh more than 40 pounds are ready to move from a forward-facing child safety seat to a booster seat. A low-back booster seats costs around $20.

Keep a child in a booster seat until he or she is 4 feet 9 inches tall, Hoff advised. “Height is more important than age,” she emphasized.

A child isn’t ready to ride with a seat belt alone until he can sit with his back against the vehicle seat, knees bent completely over the seat and have his feet touch the floor, Hoff said.

Another change in Minnesota law allows law enforcement officers to stop and ticket drivers for seat belt violations. In the past, officers could only issue such a citation if there was another violation. Now, it’s a primary violation.

A citation for a booster seat violation can cost more than $100. The total cost for a seat belt citation is about $110. The driver can be charged an additional $25 citation fee for each unbelted occupant under the age of 15.