Michigan Senate Introduces New Car Seat Safety Bill
Parents, it looks like new car seat laws are coming to Michigan.
Last week, the Michigan Senate took the first steps towards changing car seat laws in Michigan when they sent an approved Bill (SB 1135) to the House. The bill would bring Michigan’s car seat laws in line with recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The highlights of the bill are as follows:
- A child who weighs less than 30 pounds or is younger than 2 years old should be in a rear-facing car seat.
- A child between 30 and 50 lbs or aged 2 to 5 years can use a forward-facing car seat.
- A child shorter than 57 inches tall who weighs more than 50 lbs, or who is aged 5 to 10 years, can transition to a booster seat.
Speaking generally, a rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing seat; a forward-facing seat is safer than a booster; and a booster is safer than a regular seat with an adult seat belt. So really, the goal is to keep kids in the safest and most appropriate type of seat for their age, weight, and height.
For more information on this bill, visit the Michigan legislature online.