by Marc Kovac
Capital Bureau Chief
Legislation that would require children age 4-8 or shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches in height to use booster seats in motor vehicles passed the Ohio House April 30.
House Bill 320, sponsored by Rep. Shannon Jones, a Republican from Springsboro, was approved on a vote of 85-10; it heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.
Existing state law requires children younger than 4 or who weigh less than 40 pounds to be secured in a car seat or age-appropriate restraint when traveling in a motor vehicle, according to an analysis compiled by the state's Legislative Service Commission. Those age 4-18 are required to use seat belts.
Under Jones' bill, children younger than 8 or shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches and who are not already required to be in car seats must use booster seats.
According to the Legislative Service Commission, "(A) child who is 7 years old and over 4 feet, 9 inches in height would not specifically be required to be in a booster seat, but would continue to be required by current law to be in a child restraint system or occupant restraining system. A child who is 7 years old and less than four feet nine inches in height specifically would be required to be in a booster seat."
The legislation will protect children; Jones said more than 18,000 children were injured and 178 died in Ohio last year because they were not "properly restrained when riding in a motor vehicle," Jones said. "Sadly, many of these injuries could have been prevented had the children been in booster seats ... I am talking about serious injuries with long-term, life-altering consequences, and indeed these injuries, many are preventable."
The bill also could enable the state to access an estimated $1 million in federal funding for car and booster seat education and to purchase seats for low-income residents, Jones said.
Marc Kovac is the Dix Newspapers Capital Bureau chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com.