Parent alert: Booster seat for kids under eight

BY ALEXA MAE ASPERIN

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 5:32 PM EST

New Yorkers with toddlers on board must comply with a new extended law requiring children ages six to eight to sit on an auto booster seat.

The previous law required children ages four to six to use booster seats. However, because most seven-year-old children are not properly secured by a vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt, the law was changed effective Tuesday, November 24, to include all children under the age of eight.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59 percent when compared to children who only use seat belts. Seat belts are more effective for children in a booster seat because they raise a child up to an adult’s sitting height, making the use of a safety belt ideal.

Young tots who only use seat belts rather than booster or child-safety seats are more likely to experience severe injuries in a car crash, including severe damage to the brain, spleen, liver, and spinal cord. In addition to preventing unnecessary automobile-related injuries in children, other benefits to using booster seats include convenience, availability, comfort, and enjoyment.

With the roads being unpredictable, automobile accidents happen and can present unanticipated consequences. Booster seats give children the support and protection needed to stay safe on the road.

For more information on New York State’s Occupant Restraint Law, visit www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/ or contact Assemblymember Mike Miller’s office for a pamphlet on child-safety-seat awareness.