Proposed new booster legislation (UT)

crunchierthanthou · Jan 28, 2010

a bill was introduced today that will undermine our booster law passed in 2008 (8 years or 57").

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillint/hb0113.pdf

here's the text of the proposed change -

(c) Notwithstanding the requirement under Subsection (1)(a)(ii), a person:
(i) is not required to use a child restraint device to restrain a person who is five years of
age or older but younger than eight years of age if:
(A) the operator of the motor vehicle is operating the motor vehicle directly to or from:
(I) the operator's residence; and
(II) (Aa) a school where one of the passengers is enrolled;
(Bb) a church sponsored activity; or
(Cc) an organized recreational activity;
(B) the distance from the operator's residence and the location described in Subsection
(1)(c)(i)(A)(II) is four miles or less; and
(C) all available child restraint devices in the vehicle are being occupied; and
(ii) shall provide for the protection of a person described in this Subsection (1)(c) by
securing, or causing to be secured, a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt on the person.

so basically, no booster needed if the child is over age 5, you're within 4 miles of your house, and it's a scheduled activity. oh, and as long as you don't actually have any type of restraint available in the vehicle. Apparently the bill sponsor is failing to recognize that most crashes happen close to home. It does say that you have to provide a seatbelt according to the seatbelt law, but that has a nifty little loophole saying that you can have more passengers than seatbelts, as long as all seatbelts are in use. :doh:

On the plus side, my neighbor who loads up all the kids from his street into the back of his suv to drive them to school wouldn't be breaking the law anymore.

.

christineka · Jan 28, 2010

Not that the bill would change anything. Kids going to school or church sit in the front seat unbuckled with one other person up there. Is there any way to fight this legislation?

MomToEliEm · Jan 28, 2010

Wow, that wording sure includes a lot of exceptions. Why even have a booster seat law if it includes all those things. I guess with a booster seat law on the books, they might get off some of the "states with no booster seat law" news articles that have been floating around lately, though this law really isn't much better then having no booster seat law at all.

Maedze · Jan 28, 2010

TnT's Mom · Jan 28, 2010

Wow...that is ridiculous. It sounds like they are trying to basically make unsafe carpooling legal. Go ahead, pack as many kids in as you can, it'll be fine...you're only traveling less than 4 miles and we all know nothing happens if you are only going less than four miles....ughh.

crunchierthanthou · Jan 28, 2010

christineka said:
Not that the bill would change anything. Kids going to school or church sit in the front seat unbuckled with one other person up there. Is there any way to fight this legislation?

I sent a PM to all the locals. Start with the rules committee.

christineka · Jan 28, 2010

crunchierthanthou said:
a bill was introduced today that will undermine our booster law passed in 2008 (8 years or 57").

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillint/hb0113.pdf

so basically, no booster needed if the child is over age 5,

Actually, it is over age 4. Once the child is 5 and all the stipulations are met (and who's to say they aren't in any given occasion), then they can ride without a booster. It's basically back to the old law.

Chex · Jan 28, 2010

Maedze said:
WTF?

Seriously!

crunchierthanthou · Jan 28, 2010

christineka said:
Actually, it is over age 4. Once the child is 5 and all the stipulations are met (and who's to say they aren't in any given occasion), then they can ride without a booster. It's basically back to the old law.

you're right. 5 and over, not over 5. I knew it meant once they turn 5, but didn't say it clearly.

bobandjess99 · Jan 28, 2010

Maedze said:
WTF?

I'm going to "ya, that" the always eloquent Maedze.

ketchupqueen · Jan 28, 2010

I think this is for all those folks who want their neighbor to drive their kid home from church activities.

Because people who go to church NEVER get in crashes, at least not coming home...

(Sorry, I've run into that attitude too many times at activities at church.)

vangelder03 · Jan 28, 2010

is this there plan for fixing the over crowed schools in utah.

shellebelle · Jan 28, 2010

ketchupqueen said:
I think this is for all those folks who want their neighbor to drive their kid home from church activities. Because people who go to church NEVER get in crashes, at least not coming home...

(Sorry, I've run into that attitude too many times at activities at church.)

Strange, we were in a crash while taking my older brother to Boy Scouts...guess where that was held?!

LISmama810 · Jan 28, 2010

That's absolute BS. Even if you weren't on your way to school/church, you could always say you were. How would a cop know otherwise?

Dillipop · Jan 28, 2010

There is no way I am telling my IL's in Utah about this proposition. They'd be the first in line to get it passed. They all live in a 4 mile radius of each other and this would mean they never have to worry about having enough seats or belts or anything for everyone. Although, even the laws as they stand now don't stop them from making bad vehicle decisions.

safeinthecar · Jan 28, 2010

"a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt"

Here's the loop-hole back into the booster law. A seat belt cannot be properly adjusted to fit two people at the same time, and a person who does not pass the 5 step test is not wearing a properly adjusted belt either. Therefore, this exception to the booster law does not apply.

Carrie_R · Jan 28, 2010

Wow, that's insane. Talk about a massive step backwards.

christineka · Jan 28, 2010

Anyone not in Utah have a great email for me to copy and send for you? I'll make one, but some of you can write awesome things- much better than what I would write. I'm still thinking of what to write.

mrs_teeee67 · Jan 29, 2010

Maedze said:
WTF?

Couldn't have said it better myself!

tanyaandallie · Jan 29, 2010

Why bother passing the 8 year old booster legislation if it's just going to be basically overturned? It just seems insane to me and a giant waste of taxpayer dollars.

Proposed new booster legislation (UT)

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