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.

 

[Sue Perkick]

LOL!

[DumpsterDiver]

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

Here it comes!! ;^)

Mandatory Seat Belt Laws for People Are Already Controversial -- So What About Dogs?

Martin Walsh, a state lawmaker from Dorchester, Mass., may file legislation that will require dog owners to restrain their pets when driving in a vehicle.

"There's no reason for a dog to be running around a car," the Democratic representative told ABC News. "What happens if the dog decides to chase something, a fly that came in the car or something? The dog will go after it and the car will swerve."

The dog seat belt law would likely be part of a broader bill that might also try to outlaw pit bulls as pets in the state of Massachusetts, Walsh said.

If it is passed, the mandatory dog restraint law for animals inside a vehicle will be the first in the nation, according to Mark Robinson, president of Handicappedpets.com, which links to a site devoted to pet seat belts and supports mandatory dog restraint laws.

snip

[the OlLine Rebel]

Wrong. The sentence here is:

“...at least 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall...”

1 is supposed to parallel the phrase “at least” to BOTH of the descriptions. It’s parallelism.

‘at least 8yo OR AT LEAST 4’9”’.

Besides, I think most people know that 1 PROGRESSES not only from 7 to 8 to 9, but from 4’8” to 4’9” to 5’0”, etc. Generally, no human regresses in age/size!

[Gabz]

This would send my daughter into orbit. (forget about me) she will be 9 in July and is about 4’5.” After we moved here, we still made fairly frequent trips back to Delaware, she absolutely hated it because in Virginia she didn’t have to be in a booster seat any longer - but had to get into it once we hit the DE line. She was thrilled when we got rid of my van and got an extended cab pickup - the seat won’t fit.

But to this day if we’re in my car, she does remind me that we have to pull over when we cross the Delaware line, so she can get in the backseat — drives her crazy!

[null and void]

oooooops...

[the OlLine Rebel]

See my post on this.

But I might point out there is no such word as “stupidification” (nor is there such thing as the common “stupidest”). ;-)

[the OlLine Rebel]

Good point.

The NAZIs should be making us buy STRAITJACKETS and put them in iron seats with roller-coaster bars at their chests and hips so they CANNOT move.

[ShadowAce]

1 is supposed to parallel the phrase “at least” to BOTH of the descriptions. It’s parallelism.

Exactly. Once the child is 8 years old, the "or" means the conditions have been met. A 4'1" 9-year-old would not have to sit in a booster seat.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

“But I might point out there is no such word as “stupidification” “

Right, and there is no such word as “FReeper” either.

[null and void]

Stupiderest?

[Dr.Deth]

Oh n0ez!

[keepitreal]

The NAZIs should be making us buy STRAITJACKETS and put them in iron seats with roller-coaster bars at their chests and hips so they CANNOT move.

---

Actually, not a bad idea (from one who has dodged flying shoes from the back while driving 70 mph). When I purchased my last car, the dealer asked what accessories I wanted and I said a glass window between front and back, and rear ejector seats.

[ellery]

Its all the fault of that Vast Evil Booster Seat Manufacturers Lobby!!

"Big Booster."

(actually, just more Big Government. Faugh.)

[null and void]

How much did those options cost?

[philman_36]

What a great opportunity for parents to teach their children the hazards of the Nanny State.
"Now kids, this is what happens when..."

[e=2.71828]

It is alarming. But the article is confusing. If the author’s representation of the law is correct, both of these girls can ride without a booster seat.

I looked up the law to see what it really says. It’s at http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Htm/Bills/Session%20Law%202005/1475-S.SL.htm

The relevant text is “A child must be restrained in a child restraint system, if the passenger seating position equipped with a safety belt system allows sufficient space for installation, until the child is eight years old, unless the child is four feet nine inches or taller.”

So both of these girls are exempt from the booster seat requirement. The author presented the girls as complying with a requirement, but stopped just short of saying so explicitly. I suspect this is another example of a sympathetic press working to extend the influence of an invasive nanny state.

[cherry]

does this apply to short adults as well....like the little old shrunk up granny that sits behind the wheel and can barely see over the steering wheel.

[null and void]

Maybe it’s in the same sense that google uses “AND”. They say and think that the search terms are ANDed together.

If that were so, adding more search terms world narrow the search and give fewer, better targeted answers.

In practice, you get more, less on point, answers.

[the OlLine Rebel]

You guys make interesting points with the SUVs.

Do you know why the (larger, not the fake and hybrid) SUVs would still win out over Town Cars (no longer exists, BTW) and other larger cars?

Because you poor parents don’t have to STOOP OVER to prepare the nanny-seats and lock the kids in. Easier to “stand straight” then have to bend the back and hips all the time.

Geesh. What a bastardly pathetic bunch we’ve become in this country.

[Stoat]

This would send my daughter into orbit. (forget about me) she will be 9 in July and is about 4’5.” After we moved here, we still made fairly frequent trips back to Delaware, she absolutely hated it because in Virginia she didn’t have to be in a booster seat any longer - but had to get into it once we hit the DE line. She was thrilled when we got rid of my van and got an extended cab pickup - the seat won’t fit.

But to this day if we’re in my car, she does remind me that we have to pull over when we cross the Delaware line, so she can get in the backseat — drives her crazy!

It is indeed a terrible inconvenience to many, and the way that this Washington law is written it will inflict a terrible indignity upon kids up to 16 years old "if a vehicle's seat belt does not properly fit the child."

Although I have yet to be Blessed with a family of my own ("sniffle") I am occasionally called upon to ferry around other peoples' kids, such as when driving neighbors to and from the airport or when a neighbor's car is being serviced  (the stoatmobile is quite large and I'm happy to lend a hand in an effort to help friends save money).

Under this new law, I will no longer be able to offer such assistance, as it's hard to justify buying expensive booster seats for other families' very occasional use. 

My friends will now have to suffer not only the impersonal indignities associated with commercial airline travel but the rudeness and expense of airport shuttle services (will THEY be forced to supply booster seats to passengers?  I doubt it)

This would send my daughter into orbit. (forget about me) she will be 9 in July and is about 4’5.” After we moved here, we still made fairly frequent trips back to Delaware, she absolutely hated it because in Virginia she didn’t have to be in a booster seat any longer - but had to get into it once we hit the DE line. She was thrilled when we got rid of my van and got an extended cab pickup - the seat won’t fit.

But to this day if we’re in my car, she does remind me that we have to pull over when we cross the Delaware line, so she can get in the backseat — drives her crazy!