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NewsroomApril 24, 2008 - 2:20 P.M. By an 82-10 margin, the House of Representatives has passed House Bill 320, which will now move on to the Ohio Senate for further action. April 24, 2008 Citing statistics that make a compelling case for a booster seat law in Ohio, the Ohio Booster Seat Coalition called for passage of House Bill 320, which would require children ages 4-8 and under 4' 9" tall to be restrained in a federally approved booster seat. The bill was voted out of committee in the House on April 23 by a 9-1 vote. It is expected to go before the full House for a vote as early as next week. In a recent five-year-period in Ohio, from 2002 to 2006, motor vehicle crashes killed 76 children ages 4-8 and injured more than 18,000 (18,396) in the same age group, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Ohio's law specifies that every child less than four years old or weighing less than 40 pounds be buckled into a child restraint system when riding in a vehicle. There is currently no booster seat law to protect children between the ages of four and eight. "A booster seat law is a 'must' for Ohio," Brian Newbacher of the Ohio Conference of AAA Clubs said, before the Ohio House Infrastructure, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs Committee recently. "Children, 4 to 8 years-old, are too small to be protected adequately by the car's seat belt system that is designed for an adult." Although every state has a provision for children under four, only 18 states and the District of Columbia require children up to the age of 8 or older to be restrained in a booster seat. A total of 42 states and the District of Columbia have at least some type of booster seat law on the books. The Ohio Conference of AAA Clubs is working closely with the Ohio Children's Hospital Association, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Safe Kids and others to form an alliance of broad-based support for this life-saving legislation. The partnership is called the "Boost Ohio Kids Coalition" and a Web site, www.boostohiokids.org, serves as a resource and grassroots communications tool with lawmakers so citizens can indicate their support. Booster seats help protect children from injury and death in crashes by ensuring that the adult seat belt fits properly. Proper fit reduces the risk of "lap belt syndrome," which occurs when the lap belt portion of the adult seat belt rides up into a child's abdomen, potentially causing internal injuries to vital organs. According to a recent survey released by AAA, more than half of all parents (54 percent) look to their state law for guidance on how to restrain their children. While a strong majority (93 percent) of parents surveyed said they are aware of their state's child restraint, less than half (39 percent) can accurately identify the age at which their state allows a child to ride in an automobile with only a lap and shoulder belt. "These results send a clear message: Stronger laws and better education will save additional young lives and prevent serious injuries," Newbacher said. Kentucky, Massachusetts approve booster seat bills April 2, 2008-
View/Download House Bill 320 Q&A document courtesy of Ohio Children's Hospital Assn. This information is also available under the Questions & Answer link above. March 10, 2008-
The Boost Ohio Kids Coalition sponsored a public awareness campaign throughout the state to help boost awareness among Ohio motorists. The campaign will run for 4 weeks, with 37 billboards located in Cleveland, Dayton, Toledo, Akron, Cincinnati, and Columbus. January 30th, 2008
January 29th, 2008 January 17th, 2008
September 18th, 2007 June 26th, 2007 |
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