Dallas TX Auto Accident Attorney: Texas child booster seat law in effect, protect your kids

Dallas, TX (Press Release)- Starting June 1, 2010, Texas cops will be issuing citations to parents of children younger than 8-years-old and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches who are not in a booster seat or child car seat. The Texas Legislature passed a new state law last year, which went into effect in September, but enforcement of the new law was delayed until June, as reported by the El Paso Times and the Examiner.

Dallas, Texas automobile accident attorney, Amy K. Witherite states, “Ensuring that your child is properly restrained inside a vehicle can mean life or death. Should an accident occur, improper use of a seat belt on younger, smaller children could result in serious injuries. The best forms of protection in vehicles are child safety seats, booster seats and seat belts.” Placing children in age and size-appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half. But most child restraints are being used incorrectly in some way, putting children at risk, according to the CDC. The National Safety Council reported that vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of children ages 3-14 in the United States.

The change in the child booster seat law was prompted because many children outgrow the forward-facing child safety seats around 4-years-old. This has become a huge problem, because parents are letting their children ride in a vehicle without a car seat or booster seat, leaving them vulnerable to injuries. Under the former booster seat law only children under the age of five and less than 26 inches tall had to be restrained in child safety seats. Fines may range from $25.00 to $250.00 for violating the new booster seat law.

Anna Red, University Medical Center trauma prevention program coordinator stated, “If an accident were to occur, or if there was a hard break, the belt would hurt their intestines because the belt is not on their hips. Also most children put the shoulder strap behind them or under their armpit and that is not safe.”

You may be asking yourself, so what are the requirements of the new law? The Department of Public Safety has provided clarification to the booster seat law:

1. Once a child reaches eight (8) years old, they are not legally required to be in a child safety seat system.
2. If the child is younger than eight years old, BUT they are already 4’9″ tall, they are not legally required to be in a child safety seat system.
3. If a child is eight years old or older, and not yet 4’9″ tall, they are not legally required to be in a child safety seat system.

If you are unsure if your child is big enough to go without the booster seat, the Department of Public Safety has provided some simple tests:

1. Do their legs bend naturally at the knees over the edge of the seat?
2. Does the lap portion of the belt fit low over the hips and top of their thighs?

3. Does the shoulder portion of the belt fit across the center of their chest?

Leading Dallas, Texas automobile accident lawyer, Amy K. Witherite urges parents to “boost it or lose it” and take an active part in protecting your children. But should you or someone you love become injured or killed due to a negligent driver, auto accident attorney, Amy Witherite, may be able to help you recover damages that you deserve. Contacting an experienced automobile accident lawyer who has a proven positive track record of litigating accident claims may help you recover damages you deserve.

Texas automobile accident news by Dallas automobile accident lawyer Amy K. Witherite.

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Phone: (214) 378-6665