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D.C. to Require Children Up to 8 Years Old to Ride in Booster Seats

Aired January 11, 2003 - 18:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is an increasingly familiar sight, older kids riding in car booster seats. More and more states are requiring the safety measure. And the nation's capital just passed the toughest such law in the country. Kathleen Koch now reports some safety groups say the seats may not be providing the protection parents expect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: How old is that child?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Six.

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Six? So, a couple things, No. 1, according to D.C. new law, a child has to be in an age appropriate restrain through age 8.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No exceptions. Every child up to age 8 in a booster seat. The new law has sent parents in the nation's capitol scrambling.

DANA GILLESPIE, PARENT: We know neighbors who have gone out and bought them, after they gave them away, when their kids reached the age of five. And then ...

KOCH: Were they frustrated?

GILLESPIE: Well, I think a little but, they understand.

KOCH: Nine states now have laws requiring booster seats up to age six, two up to age seven. And two states and the District of Columbia up to age eight.

LT. PAT BURKE, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPT.: Far too many parents just don't know what the age appropriate restraint is.

KOCH: Unfortunately, neither does the government. Because there are not federal designed standards or testing for booster seats for children over 50 pounds.

SUSAN FERGUSON, INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY: The booster seats that you will be using for your older children have not been tested up to that weight by the government.

KOCH: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety was so concerned that it tested booster seats itself and found some actually decreased children's safety.

But of great concern was in this third type of booster seat, the lap belt was actually higher again, which means it was actually worse than having just the adult lap/shoulder belt on its own.

KOCH: Parents now being required to buy the seats were stunned.

JAMES HANNA, PARENT: The booster seat in our car. I just assumed that it was safer than positioning them in the seat.

KIM MATTHEWS, PARENT: I found some that I thought were fine, but is it approved? I don't know. And you're saying they don't really have the regulations for that. So it seems like the feds probably need to catch up.

KOCH: Advocates insist that law past by Congress in November to improve booster seat safety for older children will help.

CHUCK HURLEY, NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL: Booster seats are doing a good job. We welcome the testing that the U.S. Department of Transportation is about to do, to give parents peace of mind.

KOCH: Until then, experts point out, any seat belt or booster is better than none at all.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Booster Seats>


Aired January 11, 2003 - 18:24   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is an increasingly familiar sight, older kids riding in car booster seats. More and more states are requiring the safety measure. And the nation's capital just passed the toughest such law in the country. Kathleen Koch now reports some safety groups say the seats may not be providing the protection parents expect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: How old is that child?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Six.

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Six? So, a couple things, No. 1, according to D.C. new law, a child has to be in an age appropriate restrain through age 8.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No exceptions. Every child up to age 8 in a booster seat. The new law has sent parents in the nation's capitol scrambling.

DANA GILLESPIE, PARENT: We know neighbors who have gone out and bought them, after they gave them away, when their kids reached the age of five. And then ...

KOCH: Were they frustrated?

GILLESPIE: Well, I think a little but, they understand.

KOCH: Nine states now have laws requiring booster seats up to age six, two up to age seven. And two states and the District of Columbia up to age eight.

LT. PAT BURKE, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPT.: Far too many parents just don't know what the age appropriate restraint is.

KOCH: Unfortunately, neither does the government. Because there are not federal designed standards or testing for booster seats for children over 50 pounds.

SUSAN FERGUSON, INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY: The booster seats that you will be using for your older children have not been tested up to that weight by the government.

KOCH: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety was so concerned that it tested booster seats itself and found some actually decreased children's safety.

But of great concern was in this third type of booster seat, the lap belt was actually higher again, which means it was actually worse than having just the adult lap/shoulder belt on its own.

KOCH: Parents now being required to buy the seats were stunned.

JAMES HANNA, PARENT: The booster seat in our car. I just assumed that it was safer than positioning them in the seat.

KIM MATTHEWS, PARENT: I found some that I thought were fine, but is it approved? I don't know. And you're saying they don't really have the regulations for that. So it seems like the feds probably need to catch up.

KOCH: Advocates insist that law past by Congress in November to improve booster seat safety for older children will help.

CHUCK HURLEY, NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL: Booster seats are doing a good job. We welcome the testing that the U.S. Department of Transportation is about to do, to give parents peace of mind.

KOCH: Until then, experts point out, any seat belt or booster is better than none at all.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Booster Seats>