skiersnowboarder3
Senior Community Member
First, small vent. Why is it that so many parents are only interested in what is the law and when can my child legally go w/o a booster seat. My response is that what is legal is not always safe. What they hear is :blah blah blah:. People always think that MD law is 6 yrs AND 60 lbs. It's actually 6 yrs AND 40 lbs. Do you think I correct them?? Of course not. :evil grin:
Anyways, vent over.
This got me thinking about the surrounding state's laws. I know you need to follow the law of the state that you're in so maybe this would convince some parents to leave the booster in the car all of the time. WV, VA, PA, and DE laws are all 8 years old. While I was looking at PAs law, though I came across this:
According to Pennsylvania law, any child who rides in a motor vehicle from the age of 4 to 8 years old is required to ride in a booster seat. There are certain exceptions to this rule, listed below.
It is a recommendation that any child under the age of 13 be seated in one of the rear seats of the vehicle and not in the front seat.
If there is a question concerning whether or not your child fits into a belt positioning booster seat, you should contact the nearest State Police station’s Child Passenger Safety Technician to have the child and booster seat checked for proper fit and for case-by-case recommendations.
EXCEPTIONS TO BELT POSITIONING BOOSTER SEATS:
A child over 4 but less than 8 years of age weighing less than 40 lbs. may, in lieu of use of a belt positioning booster seat, be securely fastened in a child passenger restraint system (child safety seat) appropriate for their height and weight in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations.
A child between 4 and under 8 years of age who weighs more than 80 lbs. or who is 4 foot 9 inches or taller may be fastened in a vehicle seat belt system with out the use of a booster seat.
A child over 4 but less than 8 years of age, in a vehicle which was not originally equipped with a shoulder belt, shall be fastened in the seat belt with out the use of a booster seat or may be fastened in a child passenger restraint system (child safety seat) appropriate for their height an weight in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer.
http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/cwp/view.asp?A=310&Q=165399
The way I read this is that children between the ages of 4 and 8 MUST be in a booster seat unless they are under 40 lbs or the seatbelt is a LO belt. Does anyone else read it this way? Not that I'm going to change anything but that would make me (if I was an uninformed parent) think that my child was safer in a booster seat than a HWH seat. I do like that they tell parents to see a CPST for help fitting the child in the booster seat. :thumbsup: But, :thumbsdown: for saying that a 4 year old can ride in just a lapbelt.
Anyways, vent over.This got me thinking about the surrounding state's laws. I know you need to follow the law of the state that you're in so maybe this would convince some parents to leave the booster in the car all of the time. WV, VA, PA, and DE laws are all 8 years old. While I was looking at PAs law, though I came across this:
According to Pennsylvania law, any child who rides in a motor vehicle from the age of 4 to 8 years old is required to ride in a booster seat. There are certain exceptions to this rule, listed below.
It is a recommendation that any child under the age of 13 be seated in one of the rear seats of the vehicle and not in the front seat.
If there is a question concerning whether or not your child fits into a belt positioning booster seat, you should contact the nearest State Police station’s Child Passenger Safety Technician to have the child and booster seat checked for proper fit and for case-by-case recommendations.
EXCEPTIONS TO BELT POSITIONING BOOSTER SEATS:
A child over 4 but less than 8 years of age weighing less than 40 lbs. may, in lieu of use of a belt positioning booster seat, be securely fastened in a child passenger restraint system (child safety seat) appropriate for their height and weight in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations.
A child between 4 and under 8 years of age who weighs more than 80 lbs. or who is 4 foot 9 inches or taller may be fastened in a vehicle seat belt system with out the use of a booster seat.
A child over 4 but less than 8 years of age, in a vehicle which was not originally equipped with a shoulder belt, shall be fastened in the seat belt with out the use of a booster seat or may be fastened in a child passenger restraint system (child safety seat) appropriate for their height an weight in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer.
http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/cwp/view.asp?A=310&Q=165399
The way I read this is that children between the ages of 4 and 8 MUST be in a booster seat unless they are under 40 lbs or the seatbelt is a LO belt. Does anyone else read it this way? Not that I'm going to change anything but that would make me (if I was an uninformed parent) think that my child was safer in a booster seat than a HWH seat. I do like that they tell parents to see a CPST for help fitting the child in the booster seat. :thumbsup: But, :thumbsdown: for saying that a 4 year old can ride in just a lapbelt.
