Washington State: Kids could be stuck in booster seats until 16

The Everett Herald ^ | May 11, 2007 | Scott Pesznecker and Melissa Slager

[Stoat]

Thousands of Washington children will be forced back into car and booster seats next month when a change to state law takes effect.

On June 1, children will have to stay in the safety seats until they are at least 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall.

Violators face a $112 ticket.

About half of all children between 6 to 8 years old will be affected by the change, according to safety advocates.

"It's going to be a big challenge for those kids who have been out of the booster seat to get back," said Shawneri Guzman of Snohomish County SAFE KIDS, a nonprofit group that works to prevent childhood injuries.

The change means parents such as Renee Shonko, 44, of Lake Stevens must break the news to their children.

Daughters Lexi, 8, and Karly, 10, aren't exactly thrilled to be going back into booster seats.

"I don't like it," said Karly, who at 4-foot-8 (with shoes on) is taller than most of her classmates. But that's not tall enough for a seat belt to fit her properly.

Currently, children are required to ride in booster seats until they're 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds.

The changes also require children to use booster seats until they are 16 years old if a vehicle's seat belt does not properly fit the child.

Another change requires children younger than 13 to ride in the back seat whenever possible. They're allowed to ride in the front only if the vehicle has no lap-and-shoulder belts in the back seat.

 

[null and void]

You could get a station wagon...

[kerryusama04]

see post 80

[Gabz]

Nanny State ping!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[the OlLine Rebel]

*KA-CHING!* for Graco!

*KA-CHING!* for Washington state!

[goodnesswins]

THAT was my thought.....this could be a great way to teach kids to vote conservative!

[Gabz]

Thanks for the reminder - I got to reading the thread and forgot to ping the list :)

[the OlLine Rebel]

Their calves are smushed up against the seat edge. Soft tissue has a way of moving around when force is applied.

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for pinging your list   :-)

[the OlLine Rebel]

How did your cousins survive?

How did I survive?

Now NOONE is “allowed” to ride in the beds!

[the OlLine Rebel]

DISCRIMINATION!

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Except the dogs. They still have freedom. Even the picture with the article shows a happy puppy between the embarrassed and “protected” children.

But give it time and even doggies will have to be restrained in a vehicle.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I do too.

I loved never having to wear a seatbelt, being able to stand up through the moonroof, lounging in the back of pick-up beds, being driven by my brother in a simple bicycle seat in relative freedom, riding bicycles EVERYWHERE without ANY kind of “armor”.

I survived it all. I even had several bike accidents, including 1 hitting the side of a moving car, me full speed. Broke my arm, but not my head. ;-)

[the OlLine Rebel]

Oh, you must have missed the article from last week.

[Old Professer]

Your old man let you have your own “ho?”

Mine wouldn’t even let me read Playboy.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Read the guide. It says “or AT LEAST 4’9””.

[ShadowAce]

It says “or AT LEAST 4’9””.

Then the article is wrong in its implications.

[Old Professer]

Did it look like this?

[the OlLine Rebel]

IIRC, there is a simple device 1 can buy to clip and slip on the shoulder belt. It goes over the actual shoulder portion, and the vertical length that goes up to the “pulley” (highest point) leading to the shoulder portion. This way, instead of the very-high “pulley” being the driver of the shoulder-portion angle, the device is. You can bring down the angle so it better fits across smaller people.

This would be a better “requirment” (if I believed in universal safety regulations) than the very expensive and elaborate “seats”.

[dighton]

Cinq Ans Après

Ah, yes, I wrote the “Purple Cow” —
I’m sorry, now, I wrote it!
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’ll kill you if you quote it.

— Gelett Burgess.

[Old Professer]

The same argument could be made for solitary confinement for all prisoners.