Ohio has a new booster seat law which will require children 4-7 years old who are less than 4 feet 9 inches tall to ride in a booster seat. Now I know I didn't use a booster seat when I was a child and my husband tells stories of a cousin who was made to ride in one until he was 12, but I'd like to share excerpts from a Marietta Times article, which explains why booster seats are so important. Suffice it to say, my little man will be riding in a booster seat until he meets these safety requirements:
"According to the Boost Ohio Kids Coalition, a partnership of AAA clubs, public health agencies, private businesses and public safety advocacy groups that lobbied for the law, more than 400 4-to-8-year-olds are killed in traffic crashes every year and roughly 70,000 more are injured. Research by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia indicated booster seats reduce the risk of serious injury to children ages 4 to 7 by 59 percent, compared to just using a seat belt.
Booster seats position children so that seat belts fit properly on children. An improperly fitted belt can cause injuries to a child's internal organs in the event of a crash.
The coalition says lap belts should fit low and snug on the upper thighs and shoulder belts should rest over the shoulder and across the chest. According to the group, research shows that a good fit, without the use of a booster seat, comes when a child reaches 8 years old or a height of 4-foot-9 inches."
Source: http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/511965.html?nav=5004
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