Bill Could Require Children to Ride in Car-Seat Until Age 8
The House and Senate are working on presenting a bill to Gov. Rick Perry which, if passed, would require children to ride in car-seats until they are at least 4-foot-9 or 8 years old.
Currently, the law requires children to be 5 years old and/or more than 3 feet tall. The number of deaths and injuries to children from car wrecks are a huge problem in Texas. In fact, lawmakers say motor-vehicle accidents are one of the main causes of child fatalities.
At first glance, the bill seems like a no-brainer, but it does present problems for those with many children. People with multiple children under 8-years-old may have to go out and buy more booster seats because their 6 or 7-year-olds have grown out of their chairs and passed them on to younger siblings. This is another expense in a tough economy.
Another problem the potential law presents is in carpooling instances. The new law would require every child in a vehicle under age 8 or under the height requirement to be strapped into a booster chair and circumstances don’t always allow for that—especially in emergency situations or when mothers give other children rides home from school.
Luckily, if the bill passes, there will be a 1-year warning period where tickets will not be administered. Then after June 1, 2010, the fine for violating the law will be 25 dollars.
Seatbelts are made for adults and requiring young children to stay in a car-seat longer is a much safer option. Lap belts ride up and shoulder belts can cut into a child’s neck and face in a car crash. Booster seats elevate small kids so that their stronger bones (like the collarbone and pelvis) are the ones the seatbelt targets in an accident.
If your child has suffered injuries in an auto-accident or other type of injury incident, please contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn how you can act as an advocate for a child.
