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.

 

[ken21]

will the parents be on their cell phones and text messaging at 90 mph?

as they do in california?

[My Favorite Headache]

The biggest load of shit I have read in quite some time!

[Stoat]

Yeah, the law excludes school buses and most commercial vehicles. But the point has been made that if they really cared about the chilluns’ then belts would be required in all those vehicles.

Yes, very true.  I suppose that this is a bone that's being thrown to booster seat manufacturers?  I suppose they have lobbyists like every other industry, cause, and abnormal perversion. 

Funny....they will subject a sixteen year old to the crushing indignity of having to ride in a booster seat in a 1973 Suburban (a consumer-grade Tank that's far safer than most new cars) yet they don't require ANY restraints for six year olds on a school bus.

The logic of this escapes by furry stoat brain, but then again I stopped trying to find logic among the machinations in Olympia long ago   :-)                                                                                                                                                           

[Stoat]

will the parents be on their cell phones and text messaging at 90 mph?

as they do in california?

I suppose habits such as these are not so easily broken, but the Safety Fascists can mandate a purchase of over a hundred dollars for a booster seat for a sixteen year old.

"banging furry stoat head on desk"

will the parents be on their cell phones and text messaging at 90 mph?

as they do in california?

[Stoat]

The biggest load of shit I have read in quite some time!

I'm delighted that we've succeeded in pinning the My Favorite Headache Fecal Meter   :-)

 

[Stoat]

They’ve made their law, let’s see them enforce it.
Just another waste of paper that I’d disobey if put in such a situation.

You would most certainly have plenty of company.  Legislators need to understand that when they pass ludicrous, unjust and insulting laws like this they risk a widespread rebellion that will serve to undermine ALL laws. 

[BnBlFlag]

Damn! To think! I had my Driver’s License and owned my own car at age 14 in Texas!

[Stoat]

Damn! To think! I had my Driver’s License and owned my own car at age 14 in Texas!

The Lenin-goateed Marxists in Olympia who write such ludicrous laws to inflict upon the citizens living in The People's Republic of Washington State would sniff disdainfully at any suggestion that there might be something to learn from The Lone Star State.  Texans are all swaggering, microcephalic bumpkins as far as Olympia is concerned, which is one of the many reasons why I REALLY want to visit Texas one day.

Everyone that I've ever met who is from Texas has been EXTREMELY nice, gracious and courteous....which is a whole lot more than I can say for Washingtonians, and I've lived here my whole life.  "sigh"

And yes, I've been looking at eBay real estate listings.  There seem to be many quality properties available in Texas for far less than one would expect to pay here.

Oh well, someday   :-)

[Vicki]

Washington State .... the state of insanity! All this is about is money, making more money. After all, Fraudoire added 3,800 more state employees and she has to come up with a way to pay them.

Yea, we really need this law, but you can get 5 DUI's before you get put away.

[pepsionice]

First, if this booster seat deal is such a good idea then we ought to have all cops and all politicans sitting in the same seats.

Second, I doubt seriously that any real cop in Washington state is going to pull over and ask about the booster seat if they can see the 10-year old kid in the back. You simply tell them that the kid is of the proper height. When the cop wants the kid to get out of the car for them to measure...you tell the kid to sit quietly in the backseat. Then you smile at the cop and ask “how many donuts this morning...porky?” Hand the kid a couple of gooey chocolate pieces and have them smear them over their hands. When the cop finally gets the kid out...have them run their chocolate fingers over the cops uniform. Make sure he knows that he can’t say a hostile word in front of the kid or you will report him.

[Stoat]

Washington State .... the state of insanity! All this is about is money, making more money. After all, Fraudoire added 3,800 more state employees and she has to come up with a way to pay them.

Yea, we really need this law, but you can get 5 DUI's before you get put away.

It's easier for them to push around honest families with children who have no choice but to either comply with the law or leave the State if they don't like it.

They are betting that overworked families will just roll over and take it, as they have taken everything else Olympia has inflicted upon them.

Locking up drunks in jail is expensive, and if they are out roaming free from bar to bar the worst that they could do is maybe kill a few kids or a family going to the opera.  They dislike losing these sources of tax revenue when people are killed by drunks, but they still come out ahead as apposed to locking up drunk drivers for, say ten or twenty years.

I suppose you may be able to gather that Olympia politicians do not rate very highly with the stoat.

Washington State .... the state of insanity! All this is about is money, making more money. After all, Fraudoire added 3,800 more state employees and she has to come up with a way to pay them.

Yea, we really need this law, but you can get 5 DUI's before you get put away.

It's easier for them to push around honest families with children who have no choice but to either comply with the law or leave the State if they don't like it.

They are betting that overworked families will just roll over and take it, as they have taken everything else Olympia has inflicted upon them.

Locking up drunks in jail is expensive, and if they are out roaming free from bar to bar the worst that they could do is maybe kill a few kids or a family going to the opera.  They dislike losing these sources of tax revenue when people are killed by drunks, but they still come out ahead as apposed to locking up drunk drivers for, say ten or twenty years.

[dragnet2]

Why isn’t the dog in a safety booster seat?

[darkangel82]

If enough people leave, they not only lose the money, they lose state and congreesional seats as well. That’s the only way they learn.

[Stoat]

Why isn’t the dog in a safety booster seat?

Probably because there isn't a dog booster seat manufacturer's lobbyist who can make backroom deals with politicians if certain laws are passed requiring them.

I'm sorry if I seem to be in a bad mood....I probably am. AGAIN this year, as last year and the year before, I walked around my neighborhood and there were exactly TWO homes flying the American Flag, in addition to the one at the stoat cave, of course. I walked for six blocks in one direction and took a different route back.

TWO houses.

And this is MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

I apologize for getting off-topic....I am just so very, very tired of Seattle...I can hardly tell you.

 

[Stoat]

If enough people leave, they not only lose the money, they lose state and congreesional seats as well. That’s the only way they learn.

And I have absolutely no problem with playing a personal role in their education.  I love the climate here, and the FReepers here are wonderful.  But as soon as certain responsibilities of mine end here I don't think that I will hesitate in voting with my feet.

[BnBlFlag]

Come on down! There’s still plenty of room for more Conservatives!

[Stoat]

Come on down! There’s still plenty of room for more Conservatives!

Thank you very kindly   :-)

Do you have any favorite cities, towns or places in Texas that you would like to recommend for a visit or more?

[Vicki]

I'm sorry if I seem to be in a bad mood....I probably am. AGAIN this year, as last year and the year before, I walked around my neighborhood and there were exactly TWO homes flying the American Flag, in addition to the one at the stoat cave, of course. I walked for six blocks in one direction and took a different route back. TWO houses. And this is MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

I have seen only 3 flags in my neighborhood and one of those is mine. It is disheartening to say the least.

[shadowcat]

washington / olympia sucks

[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.

How about just letting them get real dirty?

They would still cite you, this time for "obscured vision" from the dirt.

They know every trick, and will get you one way or another if they so choose.

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.

How about just letting them get real dirty?