Ohio Lawmakers Pass Booster Seat Law
State lawmakers have approved a bill requiring children between the ages of four and eight to be in booster seats while riding in cars.
Published: December 18, 2008
Updated: December 18, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio—State lawmakers have approved a bill requiring children between the ages of four and eight to be in booster seats while riding in cars.
The Ohio Senate approved the requirement by a margin of 27-5 Wednesday, while the House voted for it by a margin of 79-14.
Law enforcement will only be allowed to cite motorists violating the law if the motorist is first pulled over for a different violation. The House wanted to give officers the authority to pull people over solely for violating the booster seat law, but accepted a Senate version without the provision.
The National Transportation Safety Board says Ohio is only one of seven states that doesn’t currently require booster seats for children older than three. The board says seat belts that don’t fit young children properly can do extensive damage in accidents.
The bill now goes to the governor for his signature.
The Associated Press contributed to the content of this article.
Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at
.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I have 4 children 8 and under. I value all of their lives. The older children are always seat belted an seated in the car and the others are in car seats or boosters. My 7 year old is too large for a car seat that is narrow enough to fit that many seats in our SUV. I feel that another freedom has been taken from us. We as parents need to be responsible for the health and well being of our own children. This should not be the governments responsiblity. We punish those who do the right thing for the error of those who do not. Im sick of paying the price for others stupidity and Im sick of the government telling me how to take care of my family. Now I have to tell my children that have been out of the seat for a couple of years that they have to go back in. And of course those motorcyclists can be totally free to do whatever. I dont want to be forced into taking care of my children. I will do what will keep my family safe without government intervention, thank you.
I’m very excited about this new law. I can’t believe it has taken Ohio so long to get on board! I am so tired of seeing people driving around with their kids jumping about the car, half-hanging out the windows, etc.
Choosing not to use a carseat/booster seat for a child because it isn’t convenient is plain ignorant. It is a parents RESPONSIBILITY to keep their children safe.
I can’t believe someone would actually be upset that Ohio has finally passed a law to improve a child’s safety in the car! It has been proven that seatbelts alone are not safe for small children. I suggest those who aren’t convinced to google crash test videos and see for themselves.
Sure, you may drive responsibly, but not everyone on the road does. Often times, the victims of accidents were not at fault.
It upsets me that people overlook the safety issue and see this new law as a burden. IT IS MEANT TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFER. As a previous poster mentioned, a booster seat can be purchased for as little as $13 (or free/reduced cost at most Health Depts and Carseat Checks!) and can be a life-saver! It helps position the seatbelt off of the child’s tummy and positions the shoulder belt properly. I would never forgive myself if we were in an accident and my child was injured, or even worse, killed because of my negligence. I do realize that even when restrained properly, sometimes the unthinkable happens. But I know that every time I get into the car with my children I am doing all that I can to keep them safe!
It also angers me that people have the nerve to say they can’t afford to buy a new vehicle to accomodate their children’s carseats. Boosters and carseats come in a variety of widths/sizes. And quite frankly, if I couldn’t afford a vehicle that transported all of my family safely, I wouldn’t be having more children.
my niece easily fits 2 low back boosters and an infant seat in her backseat. It’s as wide as her convertible, so she could do that as well. She has a minivan. I have a mid-size van and can fit 2 marathons and a radian in both seats, although there’s a little more room between the seats in the rear seat. It’s all about positioning. A FF carseat CAN be used in the front seat as well, it’s rear facing seats that cannot AT ALL. For a forward facing seat, the front seat just needs to be moved back. The most protected child should be in the front. If they are old enough to be in the front without a seat, then that one should be in the front. Otherwise, the next would be a child in a forward facing 5 point harness.
Opinionated1—I advise you to check out Radian car seats. They are narrow enough to fit 3 across in MOST vehicles. I don’t know what kind of van you have but we have a Toyota Sienna and a Chevy Venture and I can surely fit 2 booster and 1 car seat in my 3rd row without a problem. There are narrow and skinny car seats available for that very reason. I totally understand where you’re coming from. Sadly, children have died and been seriously injured from lack of car seat use or misuse and that’s why more laws are being put into effect. And we’re one of the last states to get this law.
In addition to the $13 or $14 for the seat, it’s another $20,000 or more for a vehicle to accommodate multiple car seats and booster seats. No one wants a child to die in any manner. That is not the issue. The average American, unlike these comments are referring to, does not have ONE child. The average grandparent does not have one grandchild. I have a 7 passenger van. I have 5 grandchildren between the ages of 6 months and 8 years. The law states children ages 4-8, so a child would have to be 9 to not require a booster seat. My van has air bags in both front seats, so none of my grandchildren can sit in the front, or they would be killed by the SAFETY air bag. The back seat, which holds three, will hold a child in a seat belt, but there is not room for a car seat and two booster seats. I also have a great nephew age 6. We often take them to the zoo and on other outings which they really enjoy, and it gives us good quality time. We can no longer do this. The mother of three of these children has a car, and her car will not accommodate three seats for the children in the back seat. Many other people will have this problem. It is not a matter of wanting children to be safe. It is a matter of what is practical. My one niece is age 29 and is only 4’8” tall, should she be required to sit in a booster seat while she is driving down the road with her children? Oh wait, she is expecting her third child soon, so she will not be able to drive them anywhere either because she cannot afford another vehicle which will accommodate three seats.
You cannot put a price on safety. In a life and death situation wouldn’t you be kicking yourself for not spending $13 if your child didn’t make it? Because the seat belt adjusters haven’t been tested who says they don’t pop off with impact sending the child flying out the top of the seat belt? Go with what’s tested and keep your kids safe. If you can’t afford a booster seat you can contact any Health Dept in Ohio and they’ll give you a free one.
If after market seat belt adjusters have not been crash tested for children, then there is no evidence that they are safe, or not safe. The “reasoning” can be stated as anything, but it is simply to line the pockets of the manufacturers of these devices. The reason for the seat belt law was to keep a person upright at the wheel of the car so that they could continue to control the vehicle instead of being thrown across the car. Then air bags were pushed for safety to prevent people from being thrown through the windshield. The air bags block you from controlling the car. You cannot see, you cannot steer. The air bags counteract the seat belts. With the current economy, many, many people cannot afford groceries, utilities, and basic health care. Now they will have another added expense.
Ohio has been lacking in safety for years. Yes, a booster lifts a child up off of a seat in order for the seat belt to sit appropriately across the child’s lap and shoulder. After market seat belt adjusters have not been crash tested for children. They simply are not safe. A low back booster can be purchased at walmart for 13.57 (online price, ship to store, no shipping charges). Fire departments and car seat techs usually have access to boosters at low or no cost to the public. car-seat.org has information for those who want to know the reasoning behind booster safety. The only sad thing that I see about this story is that there’s no primary enforcment. This means, thousands of children, too small for seatbelts will still be unsare. If you want to know if your child is safe in a seatbelt, search “5 step test” Many 8-12 year old children are still not safe in seat belts alone.
Booster seats do nothing but raise the child off the seat. Seat belt adjusters can be purchased for a tiny fraction of the cost of booster seats, and would serve the same purpose of keeping the seat belt from hurting a child. Every single thing does not need to be a law. Manufacturers of these products are pushing for the laws in order to line their pockets. When there is a cheaper option that will do the job just as well, people SHOULD have a choice instead of being MANDATED to purchase a more expensive product!
On the booster seats . . .
. . . I find it amazing that Ohio requires wearing of seat belts for front seat passengers, car seats for children and now most likely booster seats for kids but does not have a motorcycle helmet law! What’s wrong with this picture!!!
Advertisement