New seat belt law requires booster seats
June 1 is 'Buckle Up' program day
Beginning July 1, Kansas children who are ages four through seven and either weigh less than 80 pounds or are shorter than 4'9" will be required to ride in an appropriate child safety seat.
In accordance with this new law, Safe Kids Marion County is sponsoring a Buckle Up Program to check car seats and answer questions adults might have about the new law.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 1 at Marion County Health Department, 230 E. Main Street, Marion.
Car and booster seats are available for adults to purchase at the health department.
"The booster seats are available at the health department's cost," said Sondra Mayfield, director of Safe Kids Marion County. She also appreciated Duckwall's of Marion providing the booster seats to the department at a reduced cost.
"This will allow parents to purchase the seats here in town instead of having to drive out-of-town," Mayfield said.
Current law requires use of a car seat until age four and children age four and older to wear adult seat belts.
Tampa State Bank of Marion is partnering with the Safe Kids program in providing funding.
Research has proven that children between the ages of four and seven who are placed in a belt-positioning booster seat with a seat belt instead of a seat belt alone have a 59 percent less chance of injury in case of a collision.
Fines also will increase from $20 to $60 for violation of the child passenger safety law. However a provision is in place to waive fines if drivers provide proof to the court of an appropriate child seat/booster seat acquisition.
The new law provides for a one-year warning period until July 1, 2007, before booster seats are required.
"This is a big change for parents and grandparents because there are children who have been riding without car seats for several years and now may be required to ride in a booster seat," said Mayfield.
