Beginning today, if you have children driving with you who are under 8 years old, AND less than 4’9″, they are now required by law to be restrained in an appropriate, federally approved car seat or booster seat.  The State of Minnesota suggests that compliance with this car seat safety law is a minimum safety standard, and suggests that children remain in a booster seat to 80 pounds and remain in the back seat until age 13.

What most adults don’t realize is that adult seat belts do not fit children properly.   They tend to ride high on the child’s stomach, which can led to serious abdominal injuries in a crash.  Oftentimes, the child will  tend to put the shoulder belt behind them because it’s uncomfortable, which can cause serious spine and neck injuries.   This is exactly what happened to Brynn Duncan, the namesake of the law, a young 7 year old from Moorhead, who was paralyzed in a car accident, just a short year ago.

Booster seats will raise the child up so that the adult lap belt is positioned to fit low and snug across the hips and the shoulder belt to fit snug across the middle of the chest, to provide the necessary protection in a crash.

Fines for violating the booster seat law, can run around $140, per child, but will be waived if the vehicle owner can prove a safety seat was purchased within two weeks of being stopped.  Booster seats can be purchased for less than $25 so it’s well worth your time and money to just go out and purchase one today.

This law is for the safety of all of the “Brynn’s” out there in the state.  While she continues to improve every day, she also needs to continue on with therapies and a future surgery as well.  This law will hopefully eliminate another young child going through all of the struggles that this darling, little girl has had to deal with.

So, go ahead.  Purchase the booster seat and explain to your young children that the consequences of going without are too great for you to risk for them.  No family should have to deal with a tragedy of losing a child only because they didn’t agree with this law!

Stay safe!