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

[sha_lyn]

1. I see school buses on the highway all the time
2. Not sure why that matters, if the police can monitor cars they can monitor school buses
3. If that was true why do we wear them on airplanes? Actually it would help with evacuation, in an accident kids without a seatbelt are more likely to be stunned, hurt etc and less able to evacuate.

The study that is often used to justify the lack of seat belts on school busses is considered to be serously flawed by many experts.

2 I don't know what police have to do with it. 1 adult in a passenger car can easily observe all the passengers in their car. A bus driver in a school bus full of dozens of children can't.

3 when is the ratio of adults to kids on a plane 1:30-40( or more)

 

[jodifla]

To me, it's an example that no one wants to have ANY risk any more.


I think not having a safety belt on a bus IS a risk factor. But it's also a risk factor to have a bunch of kids too stunned to get out of their seat belts, and trapped in a burning bus.

having one child strapped in a seatbelt in the middle of a back seat between two booster seats for the short ride home from the school bus doesn't seem any more risky than riding the school bus without a seat belt.

 

[jodifla]

So theoretically a kid could be driven to the bus stop, get out of their booster seat then get on a school bus without any seat belt at all!
One makes money for the state
One would cost the state money

Yep! This is exactly what happens daily on our school bus.

 

[sha_lyn]

having one child strapped in a seatbelt in the middle of a back seat between two booster seats for the short ride home from the school bus doesn't seem any more risky than riding the school bus without a seat belt.

between 2 low sitting boosters, maybe not, but it is dangerous for a small child to be between 2 5pt baby/child safety seat, including the ones that can be converted into a booster. A dear friend was told this by someone (state patrol officer perhaps) that is trained in proper instalation of car seats etc. She was told it was actually safter to place her 7 yr old in the front seat with the seat moved all the way back, than it was to sandwich her between 2 large child safety seats.

 

[torinsmom]

NC has had this law for several years now. Ours is 8 years old or 80 lbs. It didn't go into effect until my son was 8 or 9, but I had read the recommendations for years and kept my son in a booster until has almost 9 anyway. He was not a tiny child, but the seat belt did not fit him right and he didn't sit still in the seat belt. His friends didn't ride in one, but I made sure he knew why he was in one.

I teach Pre-K and kindergarten and we still have parents who don't use boosters. We have had to leave kids in another classroom because we can't transport kids without them. As far as buses, it is the same as any bus. If a bus has an accident with a car, it is very unlikely that anyone on the bus will get seriously injured. Now, a child in the car the bus hits, would almost definitely be injured.

I don't get that people believe this is taking away their individual rights. It is actually protecting the right of an individual(your child) who is too young to make their own decision. If you read the stories of parents whose kids were killed in minor crashes because they weren't properly restrained, it will break your heart. I read one about a 5 year old who was in a regular seat belt when his mother rear ended another car. It was a fairly minor crash and he seemed fine. When he started complaining of stomach pain, the dr. assumed it was just from the bruise the lap belt caused. They found out too late that the lap belt had actually ruptured one of his organs and he bled to death.

It's just a no-brainer for me to keep kids as safe as possible in the car.

OP--if it is a carpool situation, I bet other parents will also be having a problem. I would get together with the rest of the carpool parents and see if you can come up with a solution.

Marsha

 

[charabby]

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!!!

Really? Which parts? Becasue I live and work in MI and my job takes me all over the state (by car) and I have not heard about this.

 

[npmommie]

Don't forget to strap the booster seat down with the seat belt, even if you are in the car without the child who rides in the booster.
the seats can be missiles unbuckled in a crash.

 

[rparmfamily]

This is a no-brainer topic. My 7 yr old happily sits in her highback booster and will for several more years. It's all about protecting her and keeping her safe in case of an accident.

 

[LisaR]

I just love The Dis because I am always learning something new!

So far I have learned that:

1. The police in MI spend a great deal of time searching out people to ticket over seatbelt issues just to raise money. (I lived in MI for 40 years and never knew a single person pulled over for this).

2. My 10 year old son suffers from low self esteem because he still uses a booster (I'll let him know this when he wakes up tomorrow morning because I think he missed the memo).

3. The MI government is in cahoots with the automakers to pass unreasonable laws hiding behind claims of "safety" concerns when they are really just trying to get people to buy new vehicles. (I wonder what the excuse is for the other 30 states that have stringent booster seat laws? Maybe they are in cahoots with the Motor City?)

4. Most people can fit 3 boosters in their backseat except those opposed to the law who seem to have unreasonably small backseats.

5. People in MI carpool using lap belts only and seem to feel that is perfectly safe.

6. FL is a much better state to live in because they only "force" children to ride in car seats until they are 3. (It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that this is the biggest tourist state for families with small children and Disney, Mears and all the other transportation places would be screwed if they had to restrain all the kids).

 

[MareQ]

he only weights 27 pounds??

Typo - whoops - he's 37 lbs.

 

[jodifla]

This is a no-brainer topic. My 7 yr old happily sits in her highback booster and will for several more years. It's all about protecting her and keeping her safe in case of an accident.

Several more years?

 

[torinsmom]

Kids really should be in a belt positioning booster until the seat belt falls across their shoulders and not their neck. For some kids, that may be 8, and for some it may be 10. If all car manufacturers would make seat belts with adjustable shoulder straps, there wouldn't be a need for more than a 6yrs AND 60lbs law IMHO. I am 5'3 and in many cars, the shoulder belt crosses MY neck. I think the car manufacturers design seat belts to fit an average sized man. My Sienna has adjustable shoulder belts in a few positions, but not in all. That would seem to be a more practical way to make kids safer, since so many people ignore the booster law.

Marsha

 

[mumom95]

My son, who is 8 1/2 and about 54 inches tall just stopped using his booster seat (not a high back) within the past month. My daughter who just turned 7 yesterday still uses her (she's 49 inches tall). I'm not even sure what the law in Ohio says.

I read this on the CDC website:

For children 4 to 7 years, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59% compared to safety belts alone (Durbin et al. 2003).

 

[mumom95]

Again ...my DS is in a booster over 99 percent of the time...even though he hasn't had to be in either Michigan or Florida.

But, I believe it should be my choice.

Do you think the parents of an infant should have the choice to put their child in a carseat or not?

 

[solferino]

My son, who is 8 1/2 and about 54 inches tall just stopped using his booster seat (not a high back) within the past month. My daughter who just turned 7 yesterday still uses her (she's 49 inches tall). I'm not even sure what the law in Ohio says.

I read this on the CDC website:

For children 4 to 7 years, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59% compared to safety belts alone (Durbin et al. 2003).

My DD 9 who is about the same height as your son is graduating from her britax husky and will be using one of the backless boosters until she reaches the height/weight as suggested by the NHTSA. I told her about it today and she's "I'm A-OK with that momma." Like others, her self-esteem is just fine, thanks.

Just as some don't care about the laws not working in their favour, I don't care if the law in our state says she can be out of it or not- I know the boosters are safer. DH works with a couple of carseat techs and I've seen the books they get with the certification class.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

I don't get this debate. So Michigan catches up with several other states and holy heck they're out to get select carpoolers.

Washington state law is:

• Children under 13 years old be transported in the back seat where it is practical to do so.
• Children up to their 8th birthday, unless they are 4'9" tall (which ever comes first), must ride in a child restraint. (For example a child car seat, booster seat, vest, or other restraint that is federally approved for use in the car.)
• The restraint system must be used correctly according to the car seat AND vehicle manufacturer's instructions.
• Vehicles equipped with lap-only seat belts are exempt from the requirement to use a booster seat.
• Children 8-years of age or at least 4'9" who wear a seat belt MUST use it correctly (never under the arm or behind the back) or continue to use a booster.

Technically my oldest at 11 can be out of a booster by state law, but mom law says no. Self esteem is intact, I get blamed for the the booster seat and I'm ok with that! Younger two are in a high back booster with side impact protection (she's super tall for her age and doesn't fit in any of the harnessed seats) and the smallest one is in a Radian 80.

 

[sha_lyn]

Kids really should be in a belt positioning booster until the seat belt falls across their shoulders and not their neck. For some kids, that may be 8, and for some it may be 10. If all car manufacturers would make seat belts with adjustable shoulder straps, there wouldn't be a need for more than a 6yrs AND 60lbs law IMHO.

The shoulder belt isn't the only issue. The lap belt needs to lay across the legs/thighs and not across the abdomen. A booster also absorbs part of the impact during a crash, thus protecting the pelvic bone and abdomen.

 

[torinsmom]

The shoulder belt isn't the only issue. The lap belt needs to lay across the legs/thighs and not across the abdomen. A booster also absorbs part of the impact during a crash, thus protecting the pelvic bone and abdomen.

That's true, but I would think that if a child is tall enough that the shoulder belt fits correctly, the lap belt would fit correctly as well in most cases.

I advocate for using boosters until the child is at least 8 or 4'9. My son was in one(before it became a law in NC) until he was 9. What I am saying is that since so many people ignore the recommendations(or even laws), adjustable shoulder belts may make a big difference as well. It wouldn't affect children in boosters, but it would be safer for those whose parents refuse to follow the recommendation. It would also help protect adults that the standard shoulder belts do not fit.

Marsha

 

[npmommie]

Typo - whoops - he's 37 lbs.

I'm still confused......you said he is 10 YRS old..........37 pounds ??

 

[barkley]

Well, what about the mom here? Why wasn't she saved? She was wearing a lap/shoulder belt, right?

It's impossible to have rational discussions on this topic with people who are convinced car seats and booster seats are a magic shield and nothing bad will happen if they are in a booster seat.

Instead of a law, I'd rather see really increased education on the subject. Michigan does havea really low booster seat usage rate.

Today they are saying you have to use booster seats until kids are 8 or 12 or 25, and tomorrow they are saying you HAVE to vaccinate or no school, and the day after that they stepping in to make parents be licensed teachers to homeschool their kids.

Be careful how much government intrusion you wish for.

actualy, many states already have laws on the books that preclude public school attendance unless the child has proof of vaccinations (but they do permit a parent to sign a waiver form stateing they have a personal objection to withhold vaccinations that permits attendance).