Many parents are extremely cautious when it comes to the safety of their children. As children get older, parents need to adapt to continue to ensure safety. When children are passengers in motor vehicles, special precautions need to be made. While Arizona mandates safety seats for infants and young children, it does not currently address booster seats. A recently proposed bill may help to protect children from injury in a car accident.

Arizona is currently one of three states that do not have a rule addressing booster seats. Children under the age of five must ride in a child safety seat, but that is the only rule currently in place. The new bill would require that all children aged five to eight, or under four-feet-nine inches tall, use a booster seat. Parents that do not comply with the rule may receive a fine.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends booster seats for all children at least through age eight, and potentially even longer if the child is not tall enough to fit in an adult seat normally.

While many parents are familiar with the safety benefits provided by infant car seats, there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the use of booster seats. According to the NHTSA, car accidents are the number one cause of death for children aged 3 to 14. Seat belts are not designed for children, and may not effectively prevent injury for those too small to properly fit into the restraints.

Parents will want to check to see if their child is ready for a seat belt. The NHTSA states that a belt fits normal when the lap belt goes across the upper thighs of the child, not the stomach. The strap should not interfere with the child's neck or face, and should be snug against the child's shoulder. Parents will also want to have their children ride in the backseat of the vehicle until they are at least 13 years old.

Source: East Valley Tribune "Bill requiring vehicle booster seats for kids moves forward at legislature" Howard Fischer, Feb. 2, 2012.