New Booster Seat Law Effective in January

A new child safety law effective Jan. 1 will require kids in California to use a booster seat in a vehicle until they are 8 years old, according to the state's Department of Public Health.

A previous state law required car seats or booster seats for kids until they were 6 years old or weighed 60 pounds.

“This is an important new law that will impact more than 1.1 million children in California,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “Keeping them in booster seats increases their chance of surviving a crash by 45 percent.” 

A booster simply “boosts” the child up in order to make the adult-sized belt safely fit a child-sized body.  If the belt crosses the child's stomach instead of the hip bones, the child can be severely injured by the belt itself if involved in a collision.

A child fits an adult seat belt when:

• They can sit against the vehicle seat back with their knees bent without slouching and can comfortably stay in this position throughout the trip
• The lap belt is low on the hips touching the upper thighs and 
• The shoulder belt crosses the chest, but is not on the face or neck

Experts say never let your child put the shoulder belt behind their arm or back.  In a crash, the child could sustain major injuries including head and spinal cord injuries.  If the child is putting the shoulder belt behind them, this is a sign that they still need a booster

Drivers who are caught not complying with the new state law can face fines starting at $475.

For more information about car seats, the new law or help in determining if your child still needs a booster seat, call your local health department or visit www.cdph.ca.gov

Patch contributor Joan Dentler and Bay City News contributed to this story.