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.

 

[Stoat]

My apologies for the heavy, forced editing of this article....please click on the article's link to read the full text,

Although of course I'm all for safety as I'm sure everyone is,  when such an indignity is forced upon kids, particularly at an age when social stigmas are at their most raw, I fear that this sort of thing will engender resentment  and spur an active noncompliance not only of this law but of other traffic laws.  Requiring a fifteen year old to ride in a booster seat will not be an easy sell, I'll wager.

 

 

 

Dan Bates / The Herald

 

Lexi Shonko (left), 8, and sister Karly, 10, sit in new booster seats in the back of their parents' SUV with their dog, Chloe, on Thursday. The girls, who are too small for a seat belt to fit them properly, say they aren't thrilled they'll have to use booster seats again.

 

 

[Stoat]

Washington State Ping

[ritewingwarrior]

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

[kerryusama04]

I tinted the windows on the Suburban so dark you can’t see in to combat these Nazi laws. We need a preemption bill on this lunacy.

[r9etb]

Strange shot ... it makes those girls look about 7’ tall.

[wastedyears]

Nuts

Rewind my life to exactly the same when I was 14, only put that body in the here and now in DC, and I’d still be in a booster seat.

[wastedyears]

Oh, it’s Washington State? Nevermind about DC, my mistake.

[wastedyears]

Their calves look huge as well.

[4yearlurker]

Are booster seats required on school buses? This is beyond stupid!

[Barney Gumble]

The Nanny State is here. “but if it saves just one life!”

[Obadiah]

Our state safety nazis recently passed this law in our state. My response?

“Come and get me copper!”

[Bigh4u2]

These people (government) are dopes.

If you look at the photo, the ‘shoulder’ straps fit even worse then if they were sitting lower on the seat. If there is an accident, those kids are going to go flying out of those ‘booster seats’ right into the back of their parents heads. Either that, or they could possibly have internal injuries from the ‘seat’ belt strap.

And since when do seat belts not ‘adjust’ to the wearer? Even my six year old grandson is held tight by the seatbelt.

This is bull.

BTW. They passed the same stupid law in New York State.

[Stoat]

I tinted the windows on the Suburban so dark you can’t see in to combat these Nazi laws. We need a preemption bill on this lunacy.

An excellent idea, but I'm sure that you're aware that not all jurisdictions allow heavy window tinting, with violators faced with a hefty ticket.  Electronic /optical testers are used by law enforcement in these areas.  You're lucky that you live in an area that still allows such freedoms.

 

[EndWelfareToday]

Aaaaah liberalism. Don’t ya just love the “liberty” it brings?

[RockinRight]

This Presidential candidate must now campaign in WA from a booster seat:

[Disambiguator]

This will help the state garner extra revenue from out-of-state travelers who may be unaware of, and possibly unprepared to comply with, the new rules.

[Piquaboy]

Short people will never get out of them. I am so glad that big government is looking after all us stupid people.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I remember when my uncle said that until I was 6, I had to ride in the cab of the pickup and not in the open bed with my cousins.

How did I (or anyone else over 30) ever survive childhood?

[kittymyrib]

Well, that ought to cut down on teens having sex....

[ShadowAce]

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

How are kids older than 8 being forced into car seats? The conjunction is or, not and.