Don't weaken law on booster seats

Car crashes remain the leading cause of death of Utah children ages 1-8. Lawmakers are cognizant of this tragic problem and enacted a booster seat law in 2008. But a few are backsliding on their commitment to children's safety despite evidence that the law is having a positive impact.

According to the Utah Highway Safety Office, booster-seat use has increased among young children. And, Primary Children's Medical Center's emergency department reports seeing fewer children who need to be admitted for injuries resulting from a car crash since passage of the law. HB113 is attempting to repeal the booster-seat law when traveling distances less than four miles from home. This doesn't make sense; homes and neighborhoods are not accident-free zones. Young children not using booster seats are at a greater risk of being seriously injured or killed whether they are four miles or 40 miles away from home.

Utah pediatricians urge lawmakers to stand firm on their commitment to children's safety and oppose HB113. Seat belts designed for adults cannot be "properly adjusted and fastened" safely for children shorter than 4 feet 9 inches without a booster seat. In a crash, young children can slide underneath the shoulder strap and hit their head on their knees or the inside of the vehicle. The seat belt can cut into their abdomen or the shoulder strap can injure their neck or spinal cord.

Children using booster seats are four times less likely to suffer head, spinal cord and abdominal injuries in a crash. Booster seats save lives and protect children from serious injury. Opposing HB113 will let Utah parents know how much we value their children's safety.

Jeffrey C. Schmidt, M.D., FAAP, is past president of the Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.