Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Amanda Butterfield reportingCarpooling children around is going to be a bit more crowded today because new legislation goes into effect requiring children younger than eight be in a booster seat.
Children's advocacy groups that pushed for the law say it will definitely save lives, but some parents say it's going to be hard to get used to.
Jennifer and Candice, both mothers, aren't too thrilled with the new law requiring children to be in booster seats until age 8, or until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
"I called all the moms and told them it started Monday and told them to have all their booster seats ready so we could put them in the car, and I had to walk mine out this morning for a lady that took my son to school," Jennifer said.
Trooper Cameron Rodin with the Utah Highway Patrol said, "It is going to be a bit more for us to look for. Some of it may be a learning process for us too, where we make some stops and the child is in the seat properly."
But if you ask Amy Dastrup with Safe Kids of Salt Lake County, an inconvenience or a little more work is worth it, because this law is expected to save children's lives.
For six years, child advocacy groups have been fighting to raise the age for required booster seats in Utah. It's expected to protect children better because the seat belts that are made for adults will properly fit the children.
Dastrup said, "This will definitely make them more happy, I think. They can see out the window better, and it's just going to make them so much safer. That seat belt will work the way it's suppose to."
Dastrup pointed out that booster seats are easy to get in and out. And though it could make carpooling more tricky, Dastrup said child safety is more important.
Candice said, "It was a little bit of trouble, but I figure, I guess I will be safer."
And for moms and dads who haven't heard about the law and get pulled over, Trooper Rodin said, "They probably will not receive a ticket right away." But be warned, you can get a ticket.
You can get a booster seat for under $20. For more information on the new booster seat law, click on the related link.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
