Seatbelt Laws?

[HeatherJay]

I was just wondering what are the seatbelt laws regarding children in your state?

I live in Tennessee and beginning July 1 we had a major change to our law. Formerly, kids were required to be in child safety seats until they were 4 years old or 40 pounds, whichever came later.

The new law states that they must be in child safety seats or a belt-positioning booster seat until they are 9 years old or 5 feet tall. Additionally, they must be in the back seat until they're 12. Also children under 1 year of age or less than 20 pounds must be in a rear facing car seat in the back seat (but I think this might have already been part of the former law).

Personally, I'm thrilled with the increase in age and height requirements for child restraints. Nothing gets to me more than seeing parents driving down the road with kids standing up in the back seat, or sitting up front in someones lap...even seeing a young child sitting in the front seat, period. Airbags are so dangerous for little ones in the front...it's such a shame that more people don't consider the consequences of something like that. Or seeing children riding in the back of a pick-up...grrr, don't get me started on that.

 

[BeanMak]

:::::::checking for her booster seat::::::::

What happens if they don't hit 5 ft?

 

[HeatherJay]

:::::::checking for her booster seat::::::::

What happens if they don't hit 5 ft?

If they don't hit 5 feet and are over the age of 9, they still have to wear a seatbelt in the backseat until they're 12 (unless they're in a pick-up, which I guess they make exceptions for). Tennessee has really been cracking down on seatbelt laws, period, lately. They'll pull you over in a heartbeat if they see you don't have one on, regardless of your age. But the penalties are steeper if you have improperly restrained children in your car...and you're resposible for those stiff penalties until they're 16.

 

[allieisme]

9 Years old?!?!?
Thats a bit much IMO.
I'm in Arizona.. The law here is 5 years or 40 pounds, but I do agree with the height restriction, if they are not of certain height, they shouldnt get out of their booster seat, but 9 just sounds so big.
The rear facing carseat with a infant is the same here as well, 20 pounds..
Also here the children 12 and under must be in the back, if there is a airbag up front.
I will occasionally let my 5 1/2 year old sit up front with me in our truck, I can turn the air bag off, but she still sits in her booster seat

 

[HeatherJay]

9 years old does sound big...but the new law is based off studies of traffic accidents involving children. The numbers of serious injuries were relatively low in babies and toddlers who were properly restrained, as well as being low in the pre-teen/teenage range as long as they were seatbelted. The numbers went WAY up on serious injuries for kids in that age group (4-8)...the reason being that even if they're seat belted, the belt hits the soft parts of their bodies (neck, tummy) as opposed to the bony areas that a properly fitted seatbelt should hit (lap/hips, shoulder). Booster seats with belt positioning devices insure that the seatbelt hits them in the right places, and studies have shown this dramatically reduces the instances of serious injury (by up to 50% in some cases).

Like I said, I'm all for this law, and I think it's great that children's vehicle safety is such a high priority for the state.

 

[HeatherJay]

9 Years old?!?!?
Thats a bit much IMO.
I'm in Arizona.. The law here is 5 years or 40 pounds, but I do agree with the height restriction, if they are not of certain height, they shouldnt get out of their booster seat, but 9 just sounds so big.
The rear facing carseat with a infant is the same here as well, 20 pounds..
Also here the children 12 and under must be in the back, if there is a airbag up front.
I will occasionally let my 5 1/2 year old sit up front with me in our truck, I can turn the air bag off, but she still sits in her booster seat

That's something that I wish more parents were aware of, as well, Allie. So many parents don't even know that an airbag CAN be turned off in the event that your little one has to ride in the front seat. When you consider that even a minor impact can set off an airbag, this is such a simple thing to do to avoid a really serious injury to your child. Good for you!

 

[Jenna]

Hmmmm..... I'm not really sure what the seatbelt laws are here, except that a child has to be in a booster seat through their fourth year. I'll have to look that up.

 

[mcb1998au]

Im in Australia and legally a child has to be in a booster seat until the age of 8. I do see alot of kids well under that age not properly restrained- it makes me mad.

 

[Zoomer]

Here's are the different state regulations
http://www.ghsa.org/html/state_info/childsafety_laws.html

Here it is 7 and under have to be in a carseat or booster.

 

[karla]

I'm in PA and it is 7 years and younger.

 

[HEMDA]

I am in Ga i think they just changed it here too. There is a 6 yr and some kind of weight and height. Mine are all old enough or big enough.

On a sore note i am not PRO seat belts. I had a friend that was a mother to 4 small children a very big woman. And she burned to death fighting to get out of her seat belt!!!!!!

I am a BIG on "WHEN IT IS G-D'S TIMING TO TAKE YOU HOME" with or without your seatbelt!

Just my 0.02 worth

 

[HeatherJay]

Sorry for your loss...that's tragic.

Obviously, I'm very much PRO seatbelt and I will stand by the statistics that they save more lives than they take. I've lost my grandmother, my aunt, and a nanny that was like a grandmother to me in car accidents...as well as several family friends. And my husband and I have both been in accidents (seperate accidents) and had our lives saved by a seatbelt (me when I was 16 and him when he was 23).

If you think it's more of a risk to wear one than not, then go for it. I for one am very glad there are laws in place to enforce the wearing of seatbelts, though. Especially when it comes to children.

 

[Andry]

On a sore note i am not PRO seat belts. I had a friend that was a mother to 4 small children a very big woman. And she burned to death fighting to get out of her seat belt!!!!!!

I am a BIG on "WHEN IT IS G-D'S TIMING TO TAKE YOU HOME" with or without your seatbelt!

That alone can be an entirely different thread, so I won't address that here (unless you want to discuss on a new thread).

But related to this OP, my parents have always had difficulty on my insistence baby/booster seat in their car without exception (even for a milk run), as they take it on and off as the need arises (btw, here in British Columbia, it's up to 80lbs or 12 yo - whichever comes first - in a booster seat). Their logic, they raised five kids without seatbelts let alone a booster seat, and we all survived.

 

[BeanMak]

My father would give me a hard time too about the car seat when my first was little. He changed his mind when he saw Dan climb into his seat, and fasten his buckle on his own when he was 2 and the baby was 8 months. He appreciated the 2 y/o fasthened in one place while he was getting the baby into his seat. And never once did Dan hit my Dad's seat like my sister and I would do when we started rumbling around in the back

 

[inHisgrip]

The back seat until 12 is a good law due to air bags. I will probably always keep mine in the back, its just a safer place.
I live in Washington and the law is 6 years old or 60 pounds, however they recommend 8 years old or 80 pounds. My son is 7 and 65 pounds and we just recently took him out of the car seat.
I think 9 is a bit old. More than anything for the childs self esteem. Kids are mean and will tease for still being in car seats.
In Him

 

[Celticflower]

When the law was passed in TN I looked it up on the state website and was a llittle confused. The text said 9 yrs old AND 5 ft tall. My son is 9, but not quite 5 ft, so I emailed and asked for clarification. I was told that as long as he is in the back seat and the shoulder portion of the seat belt does not rest on his neck he is fine. PSHEW!! The thought of getting him to use a booster seat after 4 years without one was not a pleasant one. He even passed on a church trip because he was told he would need a booster seat to ride in the church van.

Celtie

 

[HeatherJay]

I think 9 is the cut-off age. Meaning under 9 or under 5 ft tall. If he's already 9 then he wouldn't need one.

As far as teasing and self esteem...the good thing about it being a law is that everyone should be doing it. At least that's my thought on it.

 

[Kathryn13]

Wow! I'm only 5'1 1/2 myself! It soooo anoyes me that they make the seatbelts so high up! Here in CA it's 6 yrs. and 60 lbs. We have a booster seat built into the car we drive. I wish all the seats came equiped that way just for comfort sake! The laws here were changed after my kids were already out of booster seats. It used to be 4 yrs. and 40 lbs. My 12 yr. old son is still not 80 lbs. and 5' and will have to use a booster steat if we go to BC. My son has been out of one for 8 years! I can't wait to tell him. So funny!