Virginia Kids Under 8 Required to be in a Booster Seat
New law out of Virginia states that starting July 1st children under the age 8 riding in motor vehicles must be sitting in a child safety seat. Prior to this law it was the age 5. The new law also states that rear-facing child seats must be place in the back seat. If the vehicle doesn’t have a back seat then they can place it in the front seat only if the airbag has been deactivated.
Tags: booster-seats, buckle, car-seats, children, kids, law, motor-vehicles, Safety, virginia“The facts supporting the booster seat requirement are strong,” said Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner D.B. Smit. “Studies show they lower the risk of injury to children in crashes by nearly 60 percent.”
DMV’s Virginia Highway Safety Office (VAHSO) reminds adult drivers they are responsible for ensuring that children in the vehicle are properly restrained.
A booster seat raises the child up so that the safety belt fits correctly and can better protect the child. The shoulder belt should cross the child’s chest and rest snugly on the shoulder, and the lap belt should rest low across the pelvis or hip area, never across the stomach area.
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14 opinions for Virginia Kids Under 8 Required to be in a Booster Seat
Mrs Seaburg
Jun 20, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I think this new law is crazy. We as children didn’t even sit with seatbelts and we’re okay. And for parents like me whose children are a little over 6 we have to go out and buy a new seat. I gave mine away. My older children only had to be in booster seats till the were 5 and they are both fine. I think this is just a way to boost sales for the car seat industry.
Lisa
Jun 29, 2007 at 7:24 am
my child is a tall 6 year old and the seat belt fits her fine in the back of my Nissan I agree its a way to increase money in somebody else’s pocket. I gave mine away also. now I have to purchase another.
Joi Gayre
Jul 1, 2007 at 4:25 pm
When we were kids there weren’t as many cars on the road…they weren’t driving as fast as they do now…there weren’t cell phones distracting drivers. For the most part we stayed at home and played in our neighborhood. Today kids spend on average 2 hours a day being transported here and there. There needs to be good safety laws in place for our kids. You can’t compare today with our time.
Sly Jackson
Jul 2, 2007 at 8:15 pm
First of all we need to get our priorities straight in this world and do the right thing.
You can not compare 20, 30, 40 years ago to today in the world of automobiles as we have more vehicles on the road. Today we aso have many more distractions with talking GPS’s, Cell phones (even hands free), stereos, Ipod’s, TV’s etc.
We have been given the greatest responsibility to LOVE, protect and teach our children and we can spend a little money on our childrens protection. Outside of our God, what is more important than our family.
Margaret Massey
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Oh, my we have really gone too far this time. I have seen a lot of ways of making those that have not put dollars into the pockets of those that have, but this one along with a few other most recent laws that have gone into effect really tops them all. I see there are two against and two comments in support of this new law. We aren’t dealing with the problem we are dealing with symptoms (and not really doing a very good job at that). I have seen hidden ways of increasing taxes so that those who have get more from those who have not, but hiding this behind the guise of protecting children is the worse case of child neglect that I have seen in a while. It has nothing to do with 10 or 20 years ago. Do the law makers think Virginians are stupid? I would like to see the statistics on the safety issues of the before and after new law. Although I am pretty sure this has nothing to do with safety for children and everything to do with a guise of taking the little most have to put in the pockets of those that have more than a little. Shame on you. You didn’t even disguise it well this time. By the way. Since we are protecting children with this I am sure that the school buses are going to be equipped with seat belts and child safety seats financed with the large fines for some of the new laws right? Oh, maybe not. Since school buses are NEVER involved in accidents. Hmmmm. Then where is all this revenue going? Hmmmm I think I am actually going to get all the stats necessary on this one and write a book or pamphlet. I cannot believe you all think the majority of Virginians are going to fall for this. I mean of course we will have to obey the law, but I promise you that this is one Virginian that isn’t fooled by this guise at all. This has nothing to do with the safety of our children. NOTHING. As a matter of fact it puts them more at risk than putting a large 7 year old in a booster seat then strapping them into a seat belt. Guess the law makers just figure we put up with so much of the guises for so long that we would just fall for anything. I AM SOOOOOO GLAD ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP. Yes, we have a great responsibility to our children regardless of the cost. But this has NOTHING to do with protecting our children. How blind do you think Virginians are?
Neil Senner
Sep 7, 2007 at 2:10 am
Wow. It seems the last person doesn’t seem to know how to read. Here is a provsion in the law in regards to exceptions to the child restraint laws.
§ 46.2-1100. Use of standard seat belts permitted for certain children.
The use of a seat belt of the type which is standard equipment shall not violate this article if (i) the affected child is at least four years old but less than eight years old and (ii) any physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth or any other state determines that use of a child restraint system by a particular child would be impractical by reason of the child’s weight, physical fitness, or other medical reason, provided that any person transporting a child so exempted shall carry on his person or in the vehicle a signed written statement of the physician identifying the child so exempted and stating the grounds for the determination.
So as it shows maybe the Lawmakers aren’t so dumb. Booster seats are not that expensive. $20 for one. Your choice if you want to pay more. Is that too much money for the safety of a child? Kids vary in size. There will be small 7 year olds that will benefit from this. I know my child does. It keeps the seat belt properly across his chest rather than along his neck. As for school buses they are designed for safety. Taller padded seats to minimize injury. They sit higher to reduce impack from another vehicle. And being made mostly of steel verses most other cars, they absorb more kinetic energy reducing the impact on the occupants. Will it withstand an impact from a semi? Probably not, but I bet it comes out better than a Honda Civic will.
Rebecca Brazie
Nov 12, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I don’t live in Virginia I live in Ohio but our laws are the same. I am writing an essay on booster seats and believe that there is no substantial evidence that says the booster seats are what keeps children from being harmed. Seat belt are a problem but a booster seat is not the answer. It is not attached to the car and if the seat belt is not good enough then how can strapping a kid to a piece of equipment that is depending on the SEAT BELT to keep them in place be the answer. It’s not! The answer is to fix the seat belt it’s self. They are not made to fit any one person properly. So maybe we should not just focus this on children. Come on people stop avoiding the real problem and fix the one that is obvious.
rdl
Jan 7, 2008 at 10:34 am
I am saddened to read many of the above postings. When it comes to the safety of children there should never be the kind of sniping I am reading! Significant proof abounds as to the increased safety in the event of an accident for children who are properly restrained. For me, properly means having that seatbelt comfortably across my children in a way that is secure and not near their throat. As to the question “are Virginians stupid?” - that is a matter of debate. But I think we can all agree that neglect exists and some parents seem to be more willing than others to risk the well being of their children. To the extent that a law can protect some of these children, I am all for it. Could the law have been better written? Undoubtedly. Height and weight provisions would offer more protections than age alone. I understand that, with a physicians approval a child can be exempt from the age requirement, but would not this have been the better way to proceed in the beginning? It is moot at this point. We need to work with what we have. To spend $20 (I agree with a previous posting re: cost) on a booster seat rather than on the latest video game or other toy seems only right. Or perhaps forego one family visit to McDonalds. If these postings can persuade only one parent to put their child in a booster then the effort and heightened emotion are well worth it.
Rebecca Brazie
Jan 7, 2008 at 9:53 pm
When I posted my previous comment maybe I should have mentioned that, my oldest daughter is 12 years old and does not meat these safety requirements. I agree some parents don’t care enough about their children to protect them properly but at what cost to our children’s self esteem are we willing to say they are protected? That is why I say these safety requirements are REDICULOUS!!
glp
Feb 28, 2008 at 10:44 am
My youngest son will be 8 later this year. When the law changed, he was over the age limit at that time and we were not required by law to have him in a booster seat. We did it for his safety and his comfort. He liked being able to see out the windows also. He has been in 3 car accidents (all rear end or side impact collisions) and all three times he walked away without a scratch. All three times, he was properly strapped in his booster seat. I do not agree that the answer is to fix the seatbelts, because they can’t be adjusted more than they already are. Booster seats can be adjusted to just have the seat base or the back attached (again, you will have to spend a little bit more money but it’s for your child’s safety) with the head rest adjusting to the height needed. Our booster seats are easily moved between our truck and the cars. I don’t see why people are complaining about having to buy new seats when it’s for your children. This is only my opinion on the matter and I can tell you from experience, the booster seats have saved him from serious injuries. We plan on using boosters seats for our 3 month old daughter until she is the proper size to be in the car without a child seat.
Mithra Green
Mar 30, 2008 at 11:24 am
The whole point is that the government is forcing parents, at the point of a gun, to comply w/a law of dubious merit that is of financial benefit to one special interest. If it was so needed parents would be doing it w/o a gun to their heads.
Neil Senner
Mar 30, 2008 at 7:51 pm
For this lost comment that is incorrect. There are alot of uninformed, misguided and uneducated Parents who have no clue in regards to safety. Do you think that if we had no seat belt laws as many Parents would belt their kid in? I doubt it. Even with the laws I seee plenty that don’t. Who is that helping. Heck why should we have any speed limit laws. Every one should be able to go 60 miles an hour thru my neighborhood. I mean they know best right? They know that they can react and stop on a dime when a child goes into the street. Please. Really. Get a clue. If your so concerned woth these HUGE profits these companies are making off of it why not invest some money in them. Stocks cheap right now, you’ll be able to get your money back.
Donna
Apr 1, 2008 at 5:46 pm
There are certainly alot of extremely different opinions regarding the child restraint safety laws. I am simply in search of some clarification on the virginia law. I am under the impression that along with the age of 8 a child has to be at least 3 feet 9 inches tall and at least 50 lbs. in weight. I can’t find this information on any of the sites I’ve visited in regards to the car seat law of Virginia. I’ve always felt the laws should include some kind of height and weight provisions in conjunction to the age. Maybe that could help with the issues of some children are larger and or smaller than others of the same age. Anyway, if anyone could clarify that there is no height and weight limitation included in the child restraint safety, I would greatly appreciate it!
Miles
May 19, 2008 at 8:43 am
Another piece of “feel-good” legislation, one size-fits-all government intrusion to what should always be a parent’s call. The Government, at all levels, has many other more important/urgent things to do than to interfere with parent/child relations. Parents should be the only responsible parties for their children until they become adults, period. Nanny governments are wasting our tax dollars in something unnecessary. The most vocal defenders of this kind of policy, the ones that claim “if it saves one life, it’s worth it”, and “it’s for the childreeeen!” are usually those who also think “it is my body, and I can do what I please with it” and “it’s not a human being until it’s born”, do your research. Government should stop trying to profit from every single thing, especially those that infringe on my constitutional rights (4th amendment in this case), and work hard to profit from reducing its own size. It’s time also to stop turning good citizens into criminals, jut to exert control or make profit. Parents, or the adult driver, should be made responsible of the children’s injury, if there is an actual injury, because of negligent judgement and/or lack of proper restraint.
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