Jun 30, 2008 5:47 pm US/Eastern
Children Under 8 Now Need Booster Seat In Md.
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) ―
Before you load the kids into the car, make sure you're not breaking the law.
Pat Warren reports Maryland's new requirements for child safety booster seats are now in effect and require only a few minor adjustments.
There's a new horizon for Maryland's young passengers as parents comply with the state's new requirements for booster seats.
It's could be a lifesaving change considering car accidents are the number one childhood killer.
"Not just the number one killer but also the number one producer of disability," said Dr. Allen Walker with Johns Hopkins Pediatric Emergency.
As of Monday, Maryland law changes the age requirement for booster seats from six to eight-years-old, but there's a height and weight exemption. Children who weigh 65 pounds or more or are at least 4'9" do not have to sit in booster seats while on the road.
It's a simple transition for those carrying precious cargo, as Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown explained to his own 7-year-old son.
"And I said, 'you know, as of Monday, you're going to have to have that booster seat that you've been sitting in, so there's no option.' And in his very young way, he said, 'Dad, look it's not about the law. I enjoy that booster seat because it gives me the opportunity to sit a lot higher in that seat, and I can look out, and I can see all the exciting things that you see on the roadways each and every day,'" said Brown.
The extra height while in the booster seat is added comfort. It eliminates the pinch of shoulder straps that could cut across a child's neck and of lap belts pressing the belly. It also makes it easier for the children to bend their knees.
The fine for failing to boost or otherwise failing to properly buckle a child in a car is $48.
Booster seats can be purchased for less than $30.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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