New Car Seat Law

[Dymphna]

Do you have a link to this law? The SHA website, state legislature list of 2008 laws, and maryland.gov don't mention it anywhere.

It hasn't been signed by the governor yet, but is expect to be next week. But here's the bill as passed by both houses.
http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/bills/sb/sb0789e.pdf

 

[StrawberryGal]

Oh for pity's sake

Yes, some safety laws are ridiculous, but some aren't. They've been trying to make this law for 8 years old since the first car seat law was introduced. But parent's whined and cried and worried about how their little darlings were used to being "big" kids and wouldn't want to go back to the car seat.

The fact is, without the law, many people wouldn't bother, because they wouldn't realize it's not safe. And even still, parents want to take short cuts for their own convenience. And then they use the excuse, "when we were young, we never had car seats and we survived" But what about those who didn't because the technology didn't exist?

My great-great grandparents had 9 children and back in the day, no one thought anything of leaving a 2-yo child sitting up on a fence, until one of them went splat...but the other 8 survived, so there couldn't really be anything wrong with it.

You're right. I cherish and value my kids' life and if they need car seat/boosters, so be it. It is worth every pennies I paid for and trouble to get it installed correctly. If it is expired, crack, or have been in car accident; replace it and buy new one. Kids' life is much more important than the "cost" of the carseats/boosters.

 

[foodcritic]

When are we going to stop letting the government make laws that parents should be deciding themselves. I know most of you think this is a terrific law and it may save some lives but you people miss the huge picture that the government is slowly taking away our rights as parents and disguising it as a saving the children campaign. Personally I think the law that is on the books now is sufficient

 

[puggymom]

You're right. I cherish and value my kids' life and if they need car seat/boosters, so be it. It is worth every pennies I paid for and trouble to get it installed correctly. If it is expired, crack, or have been in car accident; replace it and buy new one. Kids' life is much more important than the "cost" of the carseats/boosters.

I intend on keeping my two in 5 pt harness as long as I can after watching this video:
YouTube - Importance of a 5-Point Harness Carseat

 

[StrawberryGal]

When are we going to stop letting the government make laws that parents should be deciding themselves. I know most of you think this is a terrific law and it may save some lives but you people miss the huge picture that the government is slowly taking away our rights as parents and disguising it as a saving the children campaign. Personally I think the law that is on the books now is sufficient

WHAT?!?!?

Have you heard about many kids die in car accidents because they aren't in thier carseats/boosters and how the seatbelts didn't save thier life because seatbelts were made for one size fit all and it is too big for the kids to use?

Laws are necessary to save kids and people's life. If there is no law, then parents who don't want to spend $$$ on carseats/boosters, will lose thier kids in car accidents. There is a reason for a law.

 

[workin hard]

I intend on keeping my two in 5 pt harness as long as I can after watching this video:
YouTube - Importance of a 5-Point Harness Carseat

Youtube is blocked. What's the video about?

 

[puggymom]

Youtube is blocked. What's the video about?

About Kyle

At that point both the kids had their seatbelts on - I can still picture them so clearly in my mind. I had no idea that would be the last time I would see my son alive. Kevin and I got into the van and we headed off. I got the kids' movie started (Sponge Bob) and they were happily eating their snacks and watching a movie. We were driving on Hw. 47 when we came to a flashing yellow light at the intersection of Villa Maria (cross traffic had a HUGE stop sign and a flashing red light). From the corner of my eye I saw a car approaching the intersection at a high speed, too fast to stop at the red light, but by the time I started to say "watch out", it was too late. We were through the intersection and the car had run the red light and broadsided us going aprox. 45 miles an hour.

It all happened in a split second but I replay it in my mind in slow motion a hundred times a day. Our van was knocked off the road and into a ditch and started rolling several times. When we finally stopped with the van laying driver's down the first thing both Kevin and I did was whip around to look in the backseat and check on the kids. As I was turning around I heard Kevin saying "Are you guys OK"? As I turned around I saw Katie behind Kevin and felt a sigh of relief. If she was ok I knew Kyle was too. I finally turned all the way around to look behind me at Kyle and all that was there was an empty seat.

There are no words to describe the horror and million things that flew threw my mind at that instant. I remember screaming "He's gone! Kyle's gone!" and the next thing I knew Kevin had climbed into the back seat and jumped out through Kyle's broken window. I quickly followed out of my broken window and immediately saw my baby boy laying about 30 feet away on the hill. Thankfully my Dad was there to get Katie and keep her away from what was to come. I raced to Kyle and when I got to him I almost collapsed; he was laying on his back with blood pouring out of his ears and mouth.

I started screaming and crying "NO!" - this just could not be happening, two seconds ago he was fine, eating a granola bar and watching SpongeBob...and now he's dead??!! NO!!!!!!!!!! This cannot happen! It was like waking up into the most horrible nightmare. I held his hand and stroked his face and then a lady ran up and said she knew CPR and started working on him. I know CPR! I couldn't believe I didn't think to try it. I guess I was in too much shock to even think. I also knew from the moment I saw him that he had already gone; I felt it in my heart. After what seemed like an eternity the ambulance finally came and they loaded him into the back, I got in the front and Kevin and Katie rode with my Dad and followed us.

We got to the hospital and they immediately started working on Kyle but took me and Kevin to seperate rooms to get checked out and tried to force us to lay down with neck braces. Both Kevin and I ripped the neck braces off and ran to be with Kyle. They let us stay in the room while they tried to revive him. They worked on him for 30 minutes but could not get a pulse at all. The whole time I just prayed for a miracle, "Please God not my baby boy, PLEASE take me but save him. He is too innocent and has so much future ahead of him." The most dire prayer I have ever prayed went unanswered and I suppose I will never know why, at least not in this lifetime. The doctor looked at me and said, "There is nothing more we can do." It was like someone had thrown me into this alternate reality; hell had to come to me on earth. Kevin and I took turns holding him in our arms and then we laid him down on the bed and laid next to him, kissing him and hugging him for hours.

Finally the hospital told us we had to leave. Up until then it hadn't even occured to me that we would leave him there. How could I just get up and walk away and leave my baby there? I had never even been apart from him for more than a couple hours in his entire life and now I'm supposed to walk away and leave him knowing I won't ever see him again. That was one of the hardest moments of my life. I felt like I was accepting it, giving up and abandoning my son. I had to remind myself that I was only leaving his body and that his soul was not in his body anymore. Kyle, and everything that made him Kyle, was still with us. That was the only hope I could cling to to give me the strength to tell my baby goodbye and walk away.

We have since found through an expert that examined the seatbelt, van and carseat that Kyle's seatbelt was ON and latched when we were hit but came off sometime during the rollover. Both Kyle and his booster seat were thrown from the vehicle. Seatbelts do NOT always work, especially in roll overs, so please keep your children in a 5-point harness secured and tethered to the car for as LONG as possible. We have found seats that have 5-point harnesses to 80lbs - the Britax Regent and the Sunshine Kids Radian80 They both can use the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system to 48lbs and can be secured using the seatbelt and top tether thereafter till 80lbs. It is WORTH the investment. It is your child's life you are risking every time you put them in the car. Another crucial thing to have is side curtain airbags in the front and back seats in your vehicle - it is only an OPTION in most vehicles that you have to request.

 

[MMDad]

It hasn't been signed by the governor yet, but is expect to be next week. But here's the bill as passed by both houses.
http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/bills/sb/sb0789e.pdf

Thank you. It would be nice if the state would update their websites so that parents can get this information.

I'm just glad the my son is used to riding in a car seat so we won't have a fight to get him into one.

 

[Dymphna]

Youtube is blocked. What's the video about?

A 3-yo was in a booster seat (I think every state in the country requires under 4 to be in a regular car seat, regardless of weight) and he got killed in a car accident. Parents figured since he was over 40 lbs it was ok. The video then proceeds to advertise some high end car seat.

 

[foodcritic]

WHAT?!?!?

Have you heard about many kids die in car accidents because they aren't in thier carseats/boosters and how the seatbelts didn't save thier life because seatbelts were made for one size fit all and it is too big for the kids to use?

Laws are necessary to save kids and people's life. If there is no law, then parents who don't want to spend $$$ on carseats/boosters, will lose thier kids in car accidents. There is a reason for a law.

I never said car seats were not important. All I am saying is that the law on the book is sufficient and the state is taking over our parental rights. How many adults do not wear seatbelts and that is the law. No matter how many laws our on the books lives will be lost in car accidents. Driving is a dangerous activity no matter how many laws you have. If a parent is not willing to put their child in a car seat without a law what makes you think they are going to put their child in a car seat because it is the law.

 

[puggymom]

A 3-yo was in a booster seat (I think every state in the country requires under 4 to be in a regular car seat, regardless of weight) and he got killed in a car accident. Parents figured since he was over 40 lbs it was ok. The video then proceeds to advertise some high end car seat.

That is why I specifically stated 5 pt harness. They make boosters with 5pt harness for a pretty reasonable price.

 

[Cowgirl]

I'm just glad the my son is used to riding in a car seat so we won't have a fight to get him into one.

My parents just told us that the car wouldn't work if we weren't buckled up. That was the rule, and we never questioned it. Once we realized it was for our safety, then we wanted to wear it.

 

[Dymphna]

That is why I specifically stated 5 pt harness. They make boosters with 5pt harness for a pretty reasonable price.

I didn't quibble with what you said. Although a 5-point harness makes it a car seat, not just a booster seat.

My issue with the video you posted is not with the safety factors it was trying to point out but with 1. The parents whose point of view it is fail to realize that it was their own ignorance of car seat safety and the fact that the seat the child was in did not comply with manufacturer recommendations or with what was probably the law in whatever state they were in that contributed to the child's death. and 2. it played on the emotions created by the death of a young child to peddle a very expensive product, which while it may be the "best" on the market, it generally out of range of the average family with small children. But we should buy it just because this one family didn't even comply with the minimum requirements of the law.

 

[White Buddah]

When are we going to stop letting the government make laws that parents should be deciding themselves. I know most of you think this is a terrific law and it may save some lives but you people miss the huge picture that the government is slowly taking away our rights as parents and disguising it as a saving the children campaign. Personally I think the law that is on the books now is sufficient

Same goes for the helmet law. If people don't want to do what makes sense and is safe, it's their own dam fault! School buses don't have seatbelts and no one is biatching constantly about that. How many different laws are needed after belts are installed? Now the school is going to have to provide booster seats for every kid that needs one, b/c the parents won't have to. Let the government take over parental responsibilities some more.

 

[White Buddah]

2. it played on the emotions created by the death of a young child to peddle a very expensive product, which while it may be the "best" on the market, it generally out of range of the average family with small children. But we should buy it just because this one family didn't even comply with the minimum requirements of the law.

Marketing 101

 

[puggymom]

I didn't quibble with what you said. Although a 5-point harness makes it a car seat, not just a booster seat.

My issue with the video you posted is not with the safety factors it was trying to point out but with 1. The parents whose point of view it is fail to realize that it was their own ignorance of car seat safety and the fact that the seat the child was in did not comply with manufacturer recommendations or with what was probably the law in whatever state they were in that contributed to the child's death. and 2. it played on the emotions created by the death of a young child to peddle a very expensive product, which while it may be the "best" on the market, it generally out of range of the average family with small children. But we should buy it just because this one family didn't even comply with the minimum requirements of the law.

Oh I know. I was just saying they do have 5 pt harness boosters where the back comes off when they are old enough for a backless booster. I just bought one (around $60) for my daughter when she went on a trip with my inlaws--I wanted something they could keep in their car since she left in their car but came home on a plane.

 

[foodcritic]

Same goes for the helmet law. If people don't want to do what makes sense and is safe, it's their own dam fault! School buses don't have seatbelts and no one is biatching constantly about that. How many different laws are needed after belts are installed? Now the school is going to have to provide booster seats for every kid that needs one, b/c the parents won't have to. Let the government take over parental responsibilities some more.

Excellent point!!!!!

 

[MMDad]

I didn't quibble with what you said. Although a 5-point harness makes it a car seat, not just a booster seat.

My issue with the video you posted is not with the safety factors it was trying to point out but with 1. The parents whose point of view it is fail to realize that it was their own ignorance of car seat safety and the fact that the seat the child was in did not comply with manufacturer recommendations or with what was probably the law in whatever state they were in that contributed to the child's death. and 2. it played on the emotions created by the death of a young child to peddle a very expensive product, which while it may be the "best" on the market, it generally out of range of the average family with small children. But we should buy it just because this one family didn't even comply with the minimum requirements of the law.

I'll take every reasonable measure to keep my kids safe, but I will not fall for a sob story guilt trip that tries to sell me something that is extremely likely to ever be needed.

 

[Sharon]

I have an idea! :lightbulb:

We should extend this law to movie theaters until the kids are 21 yrs. old. Put an auto lock strap on the seat and if they get too noisy, gag and bag them. If they still can't behave, then turn on the electric shock. I guarantee they'll either act normal or stay out of the theaters.

 

[foodcritic]

I'll take every reasonable measure to keep my kids safe, but I will not fall for a sob story guilt trip that tries to sell me something that is extremely likely to ever be needed.

And this is my point. I will keep my kids safe but I don't need the government telling me how to do it.