(WTNH) — Child car seat and booster seat laws are changing on Sunday, October 1. This is to keep kids safer on the roads. Some experts say parents tend to transition kids out of car seats or booster seats too soon. The law will increase the age and weight requirements – meaning kids will have to stay in car seats and booster seats longer.
Mimi Leone’s son is three and a half years old. She says before she had him she would have been in favor of the new requirements for car seats.
“The one problem that I haven’t heard too many people talking about is how hard convertible car seats can be to install,” she said.
The new law doubles the amount of time a very young child stays rear facing. Instead of age one, a child now must be two years old or 30 pounds before he or she can legally face forward. Younger kids are safer that way. Many parents are on board with the new requirements.
“Rear facing is best, keeps them safe,” said Megan Pereira, who has a three year old daughter.
The law will impact her family too. It will require kids up to 8 years old and 60 pounds to ride in a booster seat. However, Pereira says that won’t be a problem.
“That’s pretty much what we had been doing, so I’m not going to notice too much of a difference,” she said.
Starting Sunday children under the age of five and under 40 pounds must remain in a five-point harness traditional car seat.
Though Leone’s son is big enough not to need a rear facing car seat, she says the requirement could be challenging for some parents – even after the car seats are installed.
“I do have friends who had kids who got carsick once they were one and a half and they were facing the rear,” she said.
Supporters of this law say it is needed because only one out of five child car seats is installed correctly.
Many police departments will help you install a car seat or booster seat properly.
