Michigan Senate Approves Child Safety Seat Bill
By DAVID EGGERT
Associated Press
LANSING (AP) - The Legislature moved Thursday toward updating Michigan's law governing how children should be buckled up in cars, partly to ensure infants and toddlers are in rear-facing seats for the proper length of time.
A bill approved 36-1 by the Senate would align state standards with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Michigan requires drivers to secure children younger than 4 in a car seat in their vehicle's back seat, unless all rear seats are occupied by children under 4. Children must be buckled in booster seats until they're 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall.
The legislation would create more specific rules.
Children younger than 2 or who weigh less than 30 pounds would have to be in rear-facing safety seats. Those ages 2 to 4 or between 30 and 50 pounds would have to be buckled in forward-facing safety seats.
Children under 4 feet 9 inches tall and at least 50 pounds, or ages 5 to 9, would have to be in boosters.
"We have to do all that we can to give parents the best information and the most up-to-date information on the safety of their kids while traveling in a vehicle," said Sen. John Proos, the bill's sponsor.
The St. Joseph Republican said he's optimistic the House will pass the measure soon so it goes to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature this month.
Experts say substandard use of child seats contributes to preventable deaths and injuries. Motorists who don't have kids properly buckled up can be fined but don't have points added to their driving record.
Also Thursday, the Senate unanimously sent the House a bill that would let health workers tell patients that their child safety seats might not be properly installed and refer them to seat inspectors. It also would shield certified safety seat technicians from civil or criminal liability if they act in "good faith" and within the scope of their training.
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