The California Office of Traffic Safety is reminding parents, caregivers, and drivers to take note of a new law aimed at saving more lives and preventing more injuries of children across the state.
Beginning January 1, children under age 8 must be properly buckled into a car seat or booster seat, and in the back seat. In addition, children age 8 or older who are not tall enough for the seat belt to fit properly must ride in a booster or car seat. Previously, the law required that children remain in a booster seat until the age of six or they weighed sixty 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 coalition of child traffic safety organizations, including the Office of Traffic Safety, California Department of Public Health, California Highway Patrol, Safe Kids California, local law enforcement, public health agencies and fire departments are working together to make sure all those who need this latest information will receive it. Hospitals, day care centers, pediatricians, and local community service organizations are just a few that will be targeted.
“Although we know that placing children in age- and size-appropriate seats is the best way to reduce serious and fatal injuries, progressing children from rear-facing and forward-facing car seats to booster seats can be confusing,” added Dr. Ron Chapman, Director and State Health Officer, California Department of Public Health. “There is a Child Passenger Safety Coordinator available at your local public health department who can refer you to a fitting station where you can learn how to properly install child safety seats in the family car.”
The ticket price for violating this law is significant. For each child under 16 who is not properly secured, parents (if in the car) or the driver, can be ticketed for more than $475 and receive a violation point on their driving record.
Most children impacted by the new law can remain in the booster seat they already have. If it is necessary to buy a new one, low back boosters can be purchased at major retailers for $15 to $20 each.
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.
• Never let your child put the shoulder belt behind their arm or back. In a crash, the child could sustain injuries including head and spinal cord injuries. If the child is putting the shoulder belt behind them, this is a sign that they need a booster.
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/vosp or http://www.ots.ca.gov/Child_Passenger_Safety.asp
{ 21 comments }
Another money maker for the govt. If not why is the fine so high?
Thanks for posting this! Although it would be best for any child under 4’9″ to be in a booster seat, if they are over age 8, I believe they are technically allowed to go with out.
http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/safeseat.html reads:
California Law Beginning January 1, 2012:
The following law goes into effect on January 1, 2012:
Children *MUST* be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) IN THE BACK SEAT OF A VEHICLE until they are at least 8 YEARS OLD or 4′ 9″ in height.
My understanding is: if you are under 8, but over 4’9″, a booster is not required. If you are over 8, but under 4’9″, a booster is not required.
Again, just because it is not required, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use one!
However, I know some middle schoolers who are on the tiny side, heck, my own mom just barely misses the height requirement. Stay safe!
I am 5ft 4in and when i sit in the car the seat belt hits my neck just below the jaw. Maybe the auto industry needs to take into consideration, that their seatbelts are not condusive to safety for shorter people. The amount of adjustment they give is not enough. I do not think the booster seats are safe. There is no way to stabalize them in a car so they don’t move around. If the car is hit on the side, the child will fly. Not good. Better to have the bottom on a stable seat.
In one european country, sweden i think it may be, they keep their kids in car seats longer and facing rear longer than u.s. it is much safer. people dont like change but this is one of those things that you look back on after 30 years and say ‘i cant believe we werent doing this’ . like in the 70′s when nobody wore seatbelts.
It really gets my hair raised when i see certain people still riding around with their kids on their lap in the front seat yet. and yes if im able to get a plate# i report it, since this is no minor thing.
I’ve read an interpretation of this law that says that the height only comes into play for children eight and younger, I’ve read this interpretation of the law. Time for me to track down the exact wording of the law….
These rules are confusing and difficult to enforce fairly. More unfunded mandates. Anybody surprised by this?
The California State Legislature, under Democrat leadership in both chambers for 38 out of the last 40 years is completely out of control. Now with a democrat governor in place the extreme left wing has won the trifecta.
The left wing has an agenda here: They want to regulate children out of existence – the practical effect of all of these restrictions is to force good parents to think twice before having more kids.
Does the law exempt buses and rapid transit from these requirements? Of course ! The unstated goal is to reduce family size and make travel in private cars more expensive and a bigger hassle than walking from your “smart growth” tiny apartment to the bus stop.
Wake up people ! California is in the dumpster after 40 years of ever increasing anti- business and anti-family regulations, and excessive taxation. The only group making out on this deal are the big public unions with their huge pensions and benefits.
I’m 25 years old and 5’0”. I just passed the bar, huh?
having laws for anyone un der 18 but I think that after 18, we should be allowed to make the decision as to whether we want to wear a seatbelt or not.
@Always Rights, it’s always about politics with you. I’m so far left I think Obama is a Republican (Obamacare is modeled on the 1993 Republican healthcare proposal, he was able to pass that for them without a single Rep. getting their hands dirty) and I happen to love my 1 year old daughter immensely. You are a complete loon if you think this is a left wing agenda “to regulate children out of existence”.
@Always Right
Congratulations on winning today’s “knee-jerk reaction to innocuous piece of legislation as somehow confirming your existing biases against the [insert left or right] -wing” award.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration, here is the winning quote:
“The left wing has an agenda here: They want to regulate children out of existence – the practical effect of all of these restrictions is to force good parents to think twice before having more kids.”
That was awesome. You either deserve this award or troll of the year. As with all good trolls, I can’t tell if you are indeed trolling or just whatever the polite word for a fool is.
Are police going to start strapping tape measures to their belts? The chlld would have to be asked to step out of the car please, I need to measure you. And will children now be required to carry documentation of age? Very subjective to inforce just like fires on no burn days. Goverment is out of control!!
@Always Right – the new rules are easier to interpret and the measurements are easier as now all a cop needs is a tick-mark somewhere on their car at the four foot nine inch mark that can quickly and discreetly be used to see if an under-age child is tall enough.
Spotting potential offenders is also easier. If you can barely see someone’s head over the bottom of a window the odds are they are either not restrained securely or are over 90 years old and still driving.
As it is, most kids do not mind booster seats as it lets them see out of the car better. I remember sitting on a phone book as a kid.
@Anonymee #5 – The current law is at http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc27360.htm
The revised law is Senate Bill 929 at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_929_bill_20110620_amended_asm_v97.html
“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government
has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t
enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a
crime that it becomes impossible to live without breaking laws.”
– Ayn Rand, “Atlas Shrugged”
About sums up living in CA doesn’t it! Its a $500 ticket people, Im sure more with “court costs”. Very confusing, difficult to enforce, etc.
Do school buses in CA even have seat belts?
Oh geez, our state is so broke they’re really stretching to get a buck. Can we stop wasting time and go after some criminals?
My 9 y.o. is disappointed in this law because it means she won’t be getting out of her booster seat any time soon. She’s petite (not yet 60 lbs. which is why I have her still in the booster) so it’s going to be a while before the seat belt fits her properly. I don’t think I was 4’9″ until I was 11.
Just another money-making scheme from the government. Also, the law creates a reason for a cop to stop the vehicle.
I have to apologize to my almost 9 year old daughter all the time because she got my genes. She still hasn’t reached the weight and height limits of her 5 point harness seat!
When can a child move up to the front seat? Age or weight? Please share if you know. Also, isn’t that a hefty fine, like you ran a red light or speeding, just the kind of big, unexpected bill and family needs.
@CW #15 with the nine year old. She’s not required to be in a booster seat. The current law is age six or older OR at least sixty pounds. She’s nine meaning she passes the age part.
After January one it’ll be at least age eight or older OR four foot nine inches. Again, your nine y.o. will be old enough that a booster is not required per vehicle code 27360.
That said – the purpose of the booster seat, is to help position the lap belt on the lap and the shoulder belt at the person’s shoulder. This web page has pictures of good and poor positions for the belts. http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/default.html
If your nine year old can’t sit safely without a booster seat then get one for him/her and explain so that it’s so the child can see out of the car better. Something like the Evenflo Big Kid or BubbleBum may be enough but if the child is really small then get a seat with a back and slots set up to position the lap belt on the lap and shoulder belt on the shoulder.
If the cops want to start busting people for this violation all they need to do is hang out around any Elementary school. I’ve seen plenty of kids who should be in a booster and aren’t.
My idiot neighbor drives around with her grandkids in the car unrestrained all the time……Would love to see her get busted. At least 2 of them should be in in actual car seats and the other 3 should be in booster seats….and she has been doing this for 2 years. Wonder if she will finally get busted….hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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