question about booster seats

Published

Anyone know of a web site that spells out Pa law about children and car restraints? I have questions about what age and what weight they get out of regular car seats and into booster seats. Also, what age and what weight can a child begin to use regular seat belts. I post this question here because I think that info needs to be state specific and I want to know Pa law.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Oncology, IV Therapy.

Great question, I was interested in that myself. After searching for the PA Child passenger Safety law, this is what I found. Hope this helps.

Child Passenger Safety Law

Primary Enforcement

Section 4581 (a)(1) Restraint Systems

  • All drivers are responsible to secure children from birth to age 4 in an approved child passenger restraint system.FINE: Maximum fine of $100.00 plus court costs, CAT, EMS, JCP or proof of car seat purchase.

Secondary Enforcement

Section 4581 (a)(1.l)

  • All drivers are responsible to secure children from 4 years of age up to 8 years of age in a seat belt system and an appropriately fitting child booster seat.
  • Exemptions are allowed under the law.Guidelines have been prepared by the Department of Transportation to provide guidance for exemptions for Section 4581 (a)(1.1).

A copy of the guidelines can be obtained from 1-800-CAR BELT.

FINE: Failure to comply with the provisions in 4581 (a)(1.1) shall be guilty of a summary offense with a maximum fine of $100.00 plus CAT, EMS, JCP or proof of car seat purchase.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.

In NY its 4 years, fourty pounds and 40 inches I think.,......they have to be all three. They did the hight and weight and not just age as this covers those kids that may be 4 but small for their age. I think that is smart. And new law here is to have them in the booster seat through the age of 8. When they turn 9 they can come out ot the booster but if the seatbelt falls over the neck not the chest you should use one of those seatbelt things that makes it fall in the right place. Ya know the nylon/velcrow things. And not in the front seat till 12, if the kid is short/small this may be held off if there is an airbag. Some the new cars have a sensor in the seat and if the passenger is not heavy enough it is deactivated. You can usually also get the newest laws and reccomendations from a pediatricians office. They have to be able to teach/guide parents. They ususally give parents an age appropriate safey list/guide at visits.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm all about leaving them in corificeats as long as possible, it is the safest.

My 6yr 3m old son is still in a 5pt harness and will continue until he grows out of the height/weight limits.

My 3yr old is still rear facing in his corificeat and will be until he grows out of the RF limits then he will be forward till he grows out of that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.
I'm all about leaving them in corificeats as long as possible, it is the safest.

My 6yr 3m old son is still in a 5pt harness and will continue until he grows out of the height/weight limits.

My 3yr old is still rear facing in his corificeat and will be until he grows out of the RF limits then he will be forward till he grows out of that.

I too am all for the car seats..........my son is 7 and here in NYS he has to be in his booster seat through the age of 8--so technically when he turns 9 he can sit without the booster--

I have to say though that a 3 year old still facing backwards seems a bit much....thats well beyond the standard for rear facing-- how little is the 3 year old to still be within the weight guidelines for rear facing??

In NY state under 12 must be in the back seat as well. And if an airbag that is not weight sensing to shut off the reccommend even older.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I too am all for the car seats..........my son is 7 and here in NYS he has to be in his booster seat through the age of 8--so technically when he turns 9 he can sit without the booster--

I have to say though that a 3 year old still facing backwards seems a bit much....thats well beyond the standard for rear facing-- how little is the 3 year old to still be within the weight guidelines for rear facing??

In NY state under 12 must be in the back seat as well. And if an airbag that is not weight sensing to shut off the reccommend even older.

If you look at any convertible corificeat you will see that it says something like "rear facing up to 35lbs" And read anywhere, it says it is safest to be rear facing for as long as the corificeat allows. People will argue that their legs would break in a car accident. My argument back is I'd rather broken legs then a broken spine. My 3yr old (well he will be 3 next month) is 30lbs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Here is some info on corificeat safety. BTW we have The Sunshine Kids Radian 65 car seat for both my boys. RFing is up to 33lbs.

Front vs. Back

Misconception: Once my baby turns age 1 and weighs 20 pounds, I should turn the seat around so she's facing forward.

The Truth: A child should stay rear-facing for as long as possible, says Flaura Koplin Winston, MD, PhD, principal investigator of Partners for Child Passenger Safety, a research collaboration between The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Company.

If the infant is facing forward in a frontal crash--which is the most common and most severe type--the body is held back by the car seat's straps, but the head is not, explains Kathleen Weber, director of the Child Passenger Protection Research Program at the University of Michigan Medical School. While older children and adults wearing safety belts may end up with temporary neck injuries, a baby's immature neck bones and pliable ligaments can allow the spine to separate and the spinal cord to rip, says Weber.

Though most new convertible car seats available in the U.S. are made to hold babies up to 30 pounds in the rear-facing position (one model goes up to 35 pounds), many parents still resist the idea.

Solution: Once your child graduates from his infant-only car seat, select a convertible car seat with a minimum 30-pound rear-facing capacity. Make sure it fits securely in your car in both the rear- and forward-facing positions. Keep your child rear-facing until his weight reaches the car seat's maximum rear-facing capacity or until his head is within an inch of the top of the seat, whichever comes first.

http://www.corificeat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#rearfacFF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ&NR (Youtube video of a family that lost their son d/t moving him to a regular seatbelt)

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1200852&postcount=1 (Pictures of spine development: the reason a baby should not face forward)

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx RF and FF crash test...videos at the bottom

Think this is something I feel really strong about? I want to keep my kids the safest possible in the car.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion