Fines of at least $82 for kids under 8 not using booster seats in Colorado

As of Monday August 1st 2011 the police in Colorado will be legally allowed to stop drivers with children under the age of 8 who are not either using a seat belt or a booster seat.

The price of being stopped is not cheap either, with fines starting at $82 a $25 booster seat is looking a real bargain - not to mention a whole lot safer than having your children rolling around loose in the back of the car.

Children above 8, although not legally required to use a booster seat are still being targetted by officials who are reccomending and child under 4’ 9” tall still use a Booster Seat (though parent’s will not get a ticket if stopped and the child isn’t using a booster if over 8 years old).

The statistics really do cause you to question any parent not using a booster seat though. According to Col. James Wofinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol "Children ages 4 to 7 who use booster seats are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash compared to children who are restrained only by seat belts. Without a booster, the lap belt and shoulder strap don't work properly”.

Col. James Wofinbarger went on to say "A booster seat is a safer option because it lifts the child up so that the lap belt rests across hip bones to protect internal organs, and it positions the shoulder strap so it rests across the collarbone instead of on the neck or falling off the shoulder,"

Laura McGuire-Kent is a child passenger safety specialist with Kohl's Cares Car Safety Program. She said seat belts are generally made for adult passengers, so children need an extra safety boost.

McGuire-Kent also said that if parents make a positive habit of using booster seats, their children will be more likely to use them even without being asked. Royal Wedding Mug