COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children.
More than 2,000 children under the age of 14 die every year and another 300,000 are injured in car crashes.
But a new state law aims to help cut down on the number of injuries and deaths.
The law changes the booster seat regulations in Ohio.
Every child must be in a car or booster seat unless they're 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall or taller.
The law goes into effect in October and means that once a child outgrows their safety seat, they move to a booster or combination seat.
"Before this law, here in Ohio, we were required to have a child in a car seat until she was 4 years of age or 40 pounds. Now, all those kids beyond 4 years of age have to be in a booster until they are 8 unless they are 4 feet 9 inches tall," said Judy Hirschfield, a passenger safety program specialist.
The reason for the change is that kids who are between the ages of 5 and 8 don't fit well in a seatbelt made for an adult. The seat gives them a boost.
The booster seat attaches with the seatbelt.
"The lap belt is low on the pelvic bone and the shoulder strap comes right over her shoulder when we have her in the booster," Hirschfield said.
The booster can have either a high or low back -- both protect children in a crash.
"There is an inclination for the child to put the should belt under her arm or behind her back and then in a crash, she lunges, her body lunges forward and there's a lot of serious injury," Hirschfield said.
Warnings will be given to parents starting in October and citations will be given starting in April 2010 as a second offense.
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