One more reason to HATE the new Michigan booster seat law!

[DelaneyRose]

Sounds like mini-van sales should go up. I guess Jenny just wants to boost the economy.

I think Big Jen is just trying to keep all the little ones alive in hopes of slowing down the population decrease our state is experiencing any which way she can!! That way they can grow up and live in one of her "cool cities".
The Nanny State. That cracks me up.

 

[mjkacmom]

When I found out I was expecting #4 and #5, I traded in my Windstar for an Odyssey, because it had 5 shoulder belts. I would never put a child in just a lapbelt - I can't imagine the injuries if we got in an accident!

 

[KelNottAt]

Just curious. What did Michigan's booster law used to be? This new one sounds similar to the Maryland law enacted when my kids were at booster size/age.

Now I'm wondering if Michigan is ahead of current trends (and stricter laws are on the horizon for other states), or a little behind the times and just catching up.

Like I said, just curious.

 

[bgirl29]

I think MI is just trying to catch up. I believe the previous law was just in a car seat until 4yrs old.

 

[6TimeMomma]

?? My daughtter's booster only uses the lap belt. Why do you need a shoulder belt?

 

[mjkacmom]

?? My daughtter's booster only uses the lap belt. Why do you need a shoulder belt?

A lap belt will not safely secure a child in an accident, and should not be used with a booster - there are no booster seats designed to be used with one.

http://www.thecarseatlady.com/booster_seats/booster_seats_8.html

 

[jodifla]

A lap belt will not safely secure a child in an accident, and should not be used with a booster - there are no booster seats designed to be used with one.

http://www.thecarseatlady.com/booster_seats/booster_seats_8.html

And that begs the question: What are all of us with lap belts only supposed to do?

IT"S A BAD, BAD LAW!

 

[jodifla]

I say use your own judgement. How many cops are going to pull you over to ask how old your child is and ask them to stand up outside the car and be measured?

NONE.

If you read a little more on booster seats, the whole concept is really revolving around making the seat belt fit the rider correctly across the body. Most younger kids would have the seat belt going across their neck or across their face, really rendering the seat belt ineffective in a crash.

Now, both of my vehicles (one sedan and one minivan) have seat belt adjusters on all shoulder belts. Meaning, the height of the seat belt can be adjusted to fit the rider. So if you have the regular seat belt fit the rider appropriately, so the seat belt will do its job in the event of a crash, I think that's fine.

This is my personal opinion. No offense to those who follow these recomendations/laws. But sometimes I think people are too willing to be told what to do and don't allow common sense to play a big enough part in their decision making process. This includes law makers.

Just to clarify before someone tried to flame me...I'm not advocating getting rid of infant seats or 5 point boosters. Those are needed for smaller children. I know my kids when they were really little loved their booster because they were too short to see fully outside the window and the booster helped that. I'm really only gearing my comments towards school aged children who can safely wear a seat belt and who don't need the psychological kick to their self esteem by sitting in a booster.

Actually, in parts of Michigan, THAT'S ALL THE COPS DO!

They are so desperate for money they pull over people in stings to check their seat belts!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

And that begs the question: What are all of us with lap belts only supposed to do?

IT"S A BAD, BAD LAW!

Again, what I did was buy a different minivan. I'm not going to put my children in danger. I think it's a GREAT, GREAT law, which will hopefully save many lives of children who's parents would've otherwise not taken measures to make them as safe as possible while in the vehicle.

 

[DMickey28]

I don't understand ... I don't understand why people are saying it's a stupid law. It's been recommended for years to keep your kids in a 5pt. harness or at the very least a booster for longer than the law says.

Why wouldn't someone want to put their kids in a five pt. harness or a correctly fitted booster as long as possible? Even if you can adjust the shoulder harness lower and higher, the impact on little bodies can be too severe to be safe even if positioned properly.

Maybe I am just suffereing from First Time Mom syndrome. I plan on keeping my DS rearfacing as long as his weight/height allow and then keeping in a 5pt. as long as his weight allows. Just seems like such a small step to take to do what I can for his safety.

 

[beckanoah]

I'm sorry, but I guess I just think kids' safety is more important.

My dd is 7 1/2 and still in a 5 point restraint. She's shorter than the limits on the seat and weighs only 45 pounds. (she can be in the 5 point up to 65 pounds) I guess I just don't even feel a BOOSTER is that safe at the moment, but she will be moving into the booster soon. I think it's great that MI is trying to make the laws safer for children.

In TX they don't require them near as long, so not many people actually use them.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't understand ... I don't understand why people are saying it's a stupid law. It's been recommended for years to keep your kids in a 5pt. harness or at the very least a booster for longer than the law says.

Why wouldn't someone want to put their kids in a five pt. harness or a correctly fitted booster as long as possible? Even if you can adjust the shoulder harness lower and higher, the impact on little bodies can be too severe to be safe even if positioned properly.

Maybe I am just suffereing from First Time Mom syndrome. I plan on keeping my DS rearfacing as long as his weight/height allow and then keeping in a 5pt. as long as his weight allows. Just seems like such a small step to take to do what I can for his safety.

I don't think it's First Time Mom - I have 5 children, and the laws get tougher and tougher as we go along - and I support them 110%! When my twins were born, my oldest was only 6, so I had 3 five point harness seats, and 2 booster seats - not very convinient, but I ended up with 5 carseats/boosters in my van for almost 4 years (we just have 3 boosters now). I'm not complaining, though, about the government infringing on my right, as a parent, to endanger the lives of my children.

 

[ajk912]

I am shocked that you guys can't get three boosters in the back of your car. Maybe time to look for smaller booster seats? My kids are 8, 7 and 4- and we can fit 3 boosters in the back of both of our cars. We have a Subaru Forrester and a Saturn Ion. For both, it's a tight fit, but it's doable. Now, you can't get the huge, cushy, expensive seats back there..but the functional and compact Graco seats are fine.

 

[mickeyfan2]

OP you live in FL. So why do you need to buy new cars?

ETA: I see you are in both MI and FL (but only FL in your location). You only have a single child. If you cannot car pool then you cannot carpool.

I am one who hates this nanny state the US is becoming.

 

[sha_lyn]

If you read a little more on booster seats, the whole concept is really revolving around making the seat belt fit the rider correctly across the body. Most younger kids would have the seat belt going across their neck or across their face, really rendering the seat belt ineffective in a crash.

The boosters also cushions part of the impact to the pelvic area and adjusts the seatbelt to go across the lap vs the abdomen. Height adjusting shoulder portions of the belt do not affect the positioning of the lap belt.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I don't understand ... I don't understand why people are saying it's a stupid law. It's been recommended for years to keep your kids in a 5pt. harness or at the very least a booster for longer than the law says.

Why wouldn't someone want to put their kids in a five pt. harness or a correctly fitted booster as long as possible? Even if you can adjust the shoulder harness lower and higher, the impact on little bodies can be too severe to be safe even if positioned properly.

Maybe I am just suffereing from First Time Mom syndrome. I plan on keeping my DS rearfacing as long as his weight/height allow and then keeping in a 5pt. as long as his weight allows. Just seems like such a small step to take to do what I can for his safety.

I honestly think it is because some people (very few, but some, including one on this board) seem to put convenience over safety. Some people choose to ignore the fact that this guideline has been around for years, as put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Some choose to believe that the lawmakers are trying to get people to buy new cars. Some choose to believe that cops care more about issuing fines instead of not having to pull small bodies out of wrecks. Some people don't get that yes, sometimes the safest thing isn't the easiest thing. And that's just part of being a parent. It comes with the territory.

I have bought every car with my children in mind. I have bought extra carseats so there could be an extra in my parent's car. I have made car pooling arrangements based on being able to safely trasnsport the children with the proper car seats, not based on simply what is most convenient for me. And I think most people operate the same way as me. From your response, and from others, I think I'm right in that, too.

 

[RadioNate]

?? My daughtter's booster only uses the lap belt. Why do you need a shoulder belt?

I don't even want to touch this tread but PLEASE tell me you aren't using an old Cosco Grand Explorer. They have been proven unsafe time and time again. If you are using any other belt positioning booster with a lap belt only please take a look at the directions.

And that begs the question: What are all of us with lap belts only supposed to do?

IT"S A BAD, BAD LAW!

Harnessed seats that go up to 80lbs or ignore the law.

Lap belts only aren't safe anyway.

As someone who's child was saved by a car seat. I have no problem with the law.

 

[RadioNate]

I'm really only gearing my comments towards school aged children who can safely wear a seat belt and who don't need the psychological kick to their self esteem by sitting in a booster.

My nearly 7 year old 1st grader is in a booster and his self esteem is fine thankyouverymuch.

And no - at his height (95% BTW) and weight he CAN NOT safely fit into a seatbelt designed for an adult body.

 

[disykat]

I know when the law was changed in WA state. It was when a parent pleaded with the state to do it. She claimed never having heard that children were supposed to stay in boosters (hard for me to believe) and begged the state to toughen the laws so other parents wouldn't have to lose a child like she did.

That mom learned the hard way. She had to live with her loss, knowing that she ignored safety recommendations. She used that knowledge to try to save the lives of other children and protect other parents from going through what she did.

My children are teenagers and were in boosters until they were eight. Even 8years ago, this was the recommendation (actually, 10 was recommended) and anyone who could read knew it. Why is this still an issue this many years later?

 

[barkley]

i would'nt suggest anyone ignore the law. aside from the safety issue-in some states the first infraction is a ticket-second and subsequent are child endangerment referals to child welfare.

and btw i suspect most parents would prefer a child who has to endure a little kick to their self esteem by virtue of being in a booster seat vs a child improperly secured who ends up being killed or irreversably injured by virtue of another adult who just chooses to ignore another driving law in their state ('gee the last state we lived in did'nt have a problem with my new 16 year old driver loading the car up with kids and using his cell phone to talk and text while he drove-i don't want to damage his self esteem by making him follow the safety laws here, what are the chances he'll plow into another car?' ).