Booster seats

Legislation backed by safety advocates and Gov. Matt Blunt is being considered in Missouri that would require booster seats for child vehicle passengers until age 8.

Current law requires children to ride in safety seats until age 4. The proposed law would keep children in booster seats until age 8 unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches or weigh 80 pounds.

Safety advocates say a child should remain in a booster seat until an adult seat belt fits properly. That usually occurs when the child is about 4 feet 9 inches tall.

They also recommend that children under the age of 13 should ride in the back seat no matter how they are restrained.

Strapping children in booster seats and seat belts is the most important step parents can take to protect their children in vehicles. But the ultimate responsibility for the safety of children in vehicles must lie with parents, not with the highway patrol. Nationwide three out of four families that have child safety seats use them incorrectly.

More information and education about the current law, about how to properly install safety seats in vehicles and how to choose the correct seat for a child's size and weight are needed.