GOOD Luck getting the car seat in right!
May 18th, 2009 at 7:06 am by Rachel Manek under Rachel's Good Day
Turns out all the rules I learned for the first kid.. have changed.
Zoe is almost a year old and she’s still in the “bucket” seat.
She’s a peanut. Bella outgrew it by about 6 months.
But it’s time to get her in a more permanent seat.
So..
Recently I ran into Justine Lodl of the Center for Childhood Safety.
I’ve done numerous stories with her over the years regarding bike helmets, car seats, etc..
I was talking about getting Zoe a new seat and that it would be nice to turn her facing forward and she tells me the rules have changed. Again!
That’s right. The recommendations now are to keep the kids FACING BACKWARD for TWO YEARS! Not just one. Did you know that??
I’m always worried about not getting the seat in correctly. Maybe that’s because the stats are bad. Something like 97% of car seats are installed INCORRECTLY. So I went to the Center for Childhood Safety to get their help. Drove right up and into their cute little garage in Green Bay. Good thing I went because they found at least 4 things wrong with the car seat Zoe showed up in. Turns out all the rules I learned for the first kid.. have changed.
They watched me do it so I would get it just right. Nice and tight.
Think I feel better? A little bit. But then they told me my cell phone was a projectile.
My coffee was a projectile. And in the event of a crash, even a minor one, those things flying through the car could really hurt a person.
I went home and cleaned out my car. That lasted 2 days.
If you have questions about car seats, send them my way. Justine will be on the show Tuesday morning and I’ll try to get the answers for you.
Rachel Manek serves as co-host and news anchor of the number one morning news program, Good Day Wisconsin.
child safety seat law
Wisconsin has recently issued a new child safety seat law that goes into effect June 1st, 2006.
There will be a 6-month grace period in which written warnings may be issued for any child passenger violations (under Wisconsin Statute 347.48(4) ). The grace period ends December 31st, 2006.
Citations may be issued starting in January of 2007
Second and subsequent violations during the grace period are citable.
In basic terms:
• Children must be in a car seat until they reach age 4 and in a booster seat until they reach age 8
• Tiered structure now applies:
o Less than 1 year old, or less than 20 lbs. must be in a rear-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
o Age 1 to age 4, or less than 40 lbs. must be in a forward-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
o Age 4 to age 8, between 40-80 lbs., and no more than 4 ft. 9 ins. must be in a booster seat
• The fines remain the same, although tiered for ages 0-4 and ages 4-8
• The exemption allowing temporary removal of a child from a restraint to attend to personal needs has been removed
• The exemption for physical, medical, or body size condition still applies to booster seats and seat belts
I got this from WI DMV Home page. Is this just a recommendation or are they trying to pass a new law? I am bummed! My daughter will be 1 in July and I was so excited to turn her around. Please keep me informed. Thank you! Stacy Herrera
So my son is 8 yrs old. He only weighs like 55lbs and just over 4 ft tall. Does he have to stay in a booster until he is 80 lbs then?
Thanks, Bobbie
Did you ever find out if your 8 yr. old still has to use a booster? My son in the same…8, but only 54lbs and less than 4 ft. 9″….should he still use a booster?
Yes he should still be in a booster seat until he has reached the max hight or weight of the booster seat. An eight year old who is only 54 lbs is too small to have an adult belt him them properly. The are a few seats that take a kid up 60 inches a couple being the britax parkway and also the britax frontier.
child safety seat law
Wisconsin has recently issued a new child safety seat law that goes into effect June 1st, 2006.
There will be a 6-month grace period in which written warnings may be issued for any child passenger violations (under Wisconsin Statute 347.48(4) ). The grace period ends December 31st, 2006.
Citations may be issued starting in January of 2007
Second and subsequent violations during the grace period are citable.
In basic terms:
• Children must be in a car seat until they reach age 4 and in a booster seat until they reach age 8
• Tiered structure now applies:
o Less than 1 year old, or less than 20 lbs. must be in a rear-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
o Age 1 to age 4, or less than 40 lbs. must be in a forward-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
o Age 4 to age 8, between 40-80 lbs., and no more than 4 ft. 9 ins. must be in a booster seat
• The fines remain the same, although tiered for ages 0-4 and ages 4-8
• The exemption allowing temporary removal of a child from a restraint to attend to personal needs has been removed
• The exemption for physical, medical, or body size condition still applies to booster seats and seat belts
I got this from WI DMV Home page. Is this just a recommendation or are they trying to pass a new law? I am bummed! My daughter will be 1 in July and I was so excited to turn her around. Please keep me informed. Thank you! Stacy
Stacy,
It is not a law (yet), but is a great recommendation. I still have my 20 month old rearfacing and he will be until he reaches the limits of his seat (Britax Boulevard). I know it’s exciting to have her forward facing, but I just read a study saying children who are rear facing are 75% less likely to be injured or killed than a forward facing child. Really, after reading that I see no reason to turn a toddler forward (ok well there are a few medical reasons, but that’s it). Remember, every step up your child takes in terms of safety seats is a step down in safety.
When one deliberates the issue at hand, i have to agree with your endings. You understandably show knowledge about this matter and i have much to discover after reading your article.Much greetings and i will come back for any further updates.
Nice thing you are very crazy man.
but its not mine destiny do again man.
Whiplash Compensation Claim
Friends, can you maybe asssit me? A friend of mine is thinking about getting themselves a new Honda CBR 1000 as their first bike! Never rode anything else before! I did say this is definitely not a very good idea for the first one, but they are adamant and wont change their mind! What do you think, is this ok and would u maybe then just recommend good lessons?