| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 10, 2007 |
CONTACT: Juan Cisneros
(916) 319-2019 |
|
Sacramento – A significant child passenger safety bill passed the legislature today and is on its way to Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk just one week before National Child Passenger Safety Week. Signage of Assembly Bill 881 (Mullin, D-South San Francisco) will bring California in compliance with federal recommendations to protect 6 and 7 year olds in our vehicles, and join 25 other states that have stronger booster seat laws.
AB 881 mirrors standards of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ensure optimal safety for children 4 to 7 years of age. "I introduced AB 881 because booster seats are an affordable and easy way to protect our vulnerable six and seven year old children from the leading cause of death," said Mullin. “Booster seat laws have been proven to be a very effective way of increasing parent awareness of the safest practices.”
Existing law requires children six years or younger and weighing less than 60 pounds be transported in an approved child safety seat in the rear seat of the vehicle. AB 881 requires children to remain in their booster seats until their 8th birthday, unless they are 4’9” in height or taller. By making it an age only law it is also less confusing for both parents and law enforcement.
Assemblymember Mullin said. "As the father of two and grandfather of three, I know how important it is to keep our children safe while riding in a car. It is imperative that we provide parents with the most accurate safety practices to protect these vulnerable 6 and 7 year olds.” A study, by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, based on eight years of crash data provided by State Farm, concluded that a booster seat reduces the risk of injury by 59%.
As a very attractive incentive, passage of this bill can qualify California to apply for
SAFETEA-LU Section 2011 funds for booster seat education and low cost to no cost booster seats for families. California can potentially receive up to $3.7 million in federal funds for the next two years to fund public education programs and to provide free and low-cost booster seats to families.
California’s young children will benefit immensely by a law that provides optimal safety, a law which we hope Governor Schwarzenegger will sign and proudly restore California’s important traffic safety reputation, rather than lagging behind half of the country in such a critical safety issue.