New carseat laws?

kidnurse

Active member
It can be pretty discouraging to see some of the things discussed here. It seems to me that alot of old laws need changing and new laws need to be passed. Like the expired and used carseats being sold at thrift stores. I guess I could see a "use at your own risk" when it comes to buying and using a used carseat (although it is nothing I would ever do), but I cannot believe it is legal for thrift stores to sell expired carseats! :mad: Also, with all the information on 20 lbs and 1 yr being too soon to turn a child forward facing, are the laws being changed? If so, not quickly enough IMO. I would also like to see laws about film production companies airing carseats used inappropriately, like the episode of that show about the 16 yr old moms where the baby was clipped at the chest but the buckle was unbuckled. So many shows seem to think nothing of broadcasting examples of inappropriate carseat use. :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
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carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
As much time and energy as I devote to CPS education, I also believe in smaller government and do not believe in censorship. I could possibly get behind stricter carseat laws, but I would very much oppose laws requiring the media to depict proper carseat usage (or proper nutrition, or extended breastfeeding, or anything else), especially when it's a reality show and the reality is that most carseats are misused.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Thankfully chickabiddy came by and posted before I did, because it saved me a lot of typing.

I'll just :yeahthat: what she said.

Also, remember that you can't legislate common sense.
 

Crystal.

CPS Technician
ditto to chickabitty.

Although, I really wish that I could save the world, I just don't see it as ever happening 100%.

It would be nice if craigslist put up a disclaimer about the dangers of buying used carseats and expiration dates though. That one gets to me.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Most states don't have a 1 and 20 law anyway, so there's nothing to change. Neither of the states my kids have lived in have been 1 and 20 states. They're proper use and restraints until 8 (NC was or 80 pounds, WA is or 4'9").

Wendy
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
At least this is a nice, safe place to vent, I know most people in real life have this reaction :rolleyes: to my rants about unsafe laws and things I see.

Fortunately, things are getting a lot better year by year. I've been doing this since before any state had a booster law, I had my first kid when the rule was 1 OR 20, because no seats even RF'd higher than 20 pounds. And generally movies have stopped showing completely unbuckled kids in the front seat :eek:

The best we can do, as regular citizens, is to write to our legislators, fill out the media watch form at www.carseat.org, and educate new people about the safest way to do things. :thumbsup:

If you're really passionate and have the time, you can also get certified as a technician and get out and help the community :)
 

Crystalline

New member
While I see that side of the argument and not governing what should be common sense; we do have laws regulating these things (i.e. seatbelts, speed limits, lights at intersections) so we can be a little more cautious. Why not make something that is extremely important, like the safety of our kids, a regulation as well....? JMHO.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I support carseat laws -- most of us do, I expect, though there's certainly some variation on how strict we'd like those laws to be.

Laws requiring the media to depict "proper" carseat use would be nothing short of censorship, and honestly, if I had to choose between promoting best practice or defending freedom of expression, I'd take the latter.
 

luv2bfishin

New member
Hi all, Grandpa here! you may remember me from a year ago when I posted the story of my 18 mo old grandson who broke his neck while in a FF car seat. If not, here's a link to his website: JoelsJourney

As for laws, I agree that the government can be overbearing on laws of how we live. But, I do believe that government has the responsibility to put forth to the public the documented information and/or studies regarding increased risk to our health. From there, with the information made public, the people can make a fully informed decision of the steps they want to take to protect their families.

As an example, in the last 3 years there has been extensive studes published on the increased risks of injury of front facing children vs rear facing children. The concensus is that the odds of severe injury to FF children (under 2 yrs of age) is 5 times greater that RF children. By searching the internet, parents can find that information. But why should we spend our time researching these findings? We have jobs, we have kids to raise, we don't get paid to surf for this information.

But we are paying hundreds of safety specialists in the government! This is where the government should work for the people. Our safety agencies should look into the studies, either prove or disprove the findings, and publish the results to provide parents with validated information. NHTSA states that children can ride FF when they reach 12 mos and 20 lbs. Several recent studies( which I published on Joels website) say that is to young. We, as US citizens, are at a loss of who to believe. I say the government should either proof or disprove the studies, or perhaps do their own controlled study (which to my knowledge has never been done and/or published) and publish the findings to the public.

Go to NHTSA's website. There is NOTHING that speaks of the increased risk of injury to FF children. No warnings. There is only when you can turn your baby forward, and "ease of use" ratings of car seats......which one's are easier for parents to install.

In my opinion, more child safety research and life saving information has been published on this blog ........than by NHTSA.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
The other sad reality, though, is that laws only work if people follow them.

I constantly see people not wearing seatbelts, people driving while holding cell phones, kids not wearing bike helmets--all of which are illegal where I live. Laws are nice to have in place, but the bottom line is that a lot of people just don't care/understand.

Obviously some people will follow the law just to follow the law, and that's great. But ultimately it's people's attitudes that need to change.

I do think that we're making progress. It's like the anti-smoking campaign. It's still perfectly legal to smoke but not nearly as common as it once was because people realize how detrimenal it is. On that same note, more people ERF now than ever before.

(And Joel's Grandpa: Nice to see you still around here! I have written many diatribes about NHTSA in the past few weeks, so I feel your frustration.)
 

Judi's DH

Senior Community Member
I support carseat laws -- most of us do, I expect, though there's certainly some variation on how strict we'd like those laws to be.

Laws requiring the media to depict "proper" carseat use would be nothing short of censorship, and honestly, if I had to choose between promoting best practice or defending freedom of expression, I'd take the latter.

:yeahthat:

The law when it is applied to public safety is to address the lowest common denominator for lack of a better term protecting the idiots from them selves.

I would love to see a law similar to the Crib law making it illegal to resell used car seats. It would be great to see some add on product regulation as well.:twocents:
 

skitle1802

New member
California has a law that states it is unlawful to sell an expired child safety seat or one that has been involved in an accident. Unfortunately, the only deterent is a $100 fine. What a joke!:mad:
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
California has a law that states it is unlawful to sell an expired child safety seat or one that has been involved in an accident. Unfortunately, the only deterent is a $100 fine. What a joke!:mad:

We have a law that you can't sell crashed seats, and a law that rental car companies can't rent seats older than 5 years, but I wasn't aware of a law that includes not selling expired seats.
 

skitle1802

New member
We have a law that you can't sell crashed seats, and a law that rental car companies can't rent seats older than 5 years, but I wasn't aware of a law that includes not selling expired seats.

This is from CA vehicle code:

27362. (a) A manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer shall not sell, offer for sale, or install in a motor vehicle, a child passenger restraint system that does not conform to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards on the date of manufacture. Responsibility for compliance with this section shall rest with the individual selling the system, offering the system for sale, or installing the system. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor (Expired seats do not meet federal safety standards)

Child Passenger Restraint System: Prohibition Against Resale After Accident
27362.1. (a) No individual may sell or offer for sale a child passenger restraint system that was in use by a child during an accident involving a motor vehicle.
(b) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).

Added Sec. 2, Ch. 703, Stats. 2002. Effective January 1, 2003.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
California has a law that states it is unlawful to sell an expired child safety seat or one that has been involved in an accident. Unfortunately, the only deterent is a $100 fine. What a joke!:mad:

This is from CA vehicle code:

27362. (a) A manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer shall not sell, offer for sale, or install in a motor vehicle, a child passenger restraint system that does not conform to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards on the date of manufacture. Responsibility for compliance with this section shall rest with the individual selling the system, offering the system for sale, or installing the system. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor (Expired seats do not meet federal safety standards)

Child Passenger Restraint System: Prohibition Against Resale After Accident
27362.1. (a) No individual may sell or offer for sale a child passenger restraint system that was in use by a child during an accident involving a motor vehicle.
(b) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).

Added Sec. 2, Ch. 703, Stats. 2002. Effective January 1, 2003.

Did you add in the line about expired seats? I didn't find that in the actual code. An expired seat could still meet standards. It would technically be illegal to USE the seat since it's not "proper use," but I'm still not convinced that law can be interpreted as banning their sale. (I might have missed it though.)

FWIW, I've been to a few kids second-hand/consignment stores and have never seem car seats for sale. I'd imagine they don't want to risk it since they can't prove they haven't been crashed.
 

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