Special Reports

By Amelia Santaniello and Frank Vascellaro
(WCCO) Maybe you remember riding in your parent's car without much protection: No car seats, no boosters and no seat belts. Nothing. Starting July 1, those days are over.

Under Minnesota's new booster seat law, children can't wear a seat belt alone until they're 8-years-old or 4-feet, 9-inches tall, whichever comes first. So Frank Vascellaro and Amelia Santaniello got a safety lesson in the law with their children.

Michele Dunbar ditched her son Grant's booster a while back. Now she has to buy a new one.

"I'm aware because a friend sent me an e-mail," said Dunbar. "I wouldn't have known otherwise."

So why did Dunbar stop using a booster for her son?

"Well, 'cause it's my third kid, and it's not the law and it's easier," she said.

It may be easier, but it's not safer.

"Last year there was one child that was severely injured and paralyzed because she did not have a booster, it was only a lap belt," said Heather Darby, the child safety passenger coordinator for the Department of Public Safety. She's the state's point person when it comes to child safety.

Darby's department wasn't allowed to lobby for or against the legislation. That said, she thinks the new law is a good one.

"The folks who passed this law didn't pass it hoping that we would generate revenue or we'd have another reason for officers to stop parents, it really was to keep kids safe," said Darby.

Too often children using seat belts are uncomfortable. They put the seat belt behind them and put themselves at great risk. Darby commented on how the booster seat fits our daughter Francesca.

"Lap belt is lower on her hips, so the bony part is going to what's taking the force of the crash, and now it's at her shoulder, so now she most likely won't suffer any neck or spinal cord injuries," said Darby.

Our son Joe uses a booster, but he preferred the one Darby had; a high-back style.

"The high-back would be in case you don't have a headrest or in case you need the belt-positioning part of it," Darby explained.

With Darby's help, we measured our twins, Joe and Francesca. They were 4-foot, 1 inch and 4-foot, 2 inches -- too short to ride with a seat belt alone.

When Darby measured our son Sam, she said, "You could probably get by without one, Bud."

Then there are children like Megan who is 10-years-old, but not very tall.

"She's still under 4-foot 9-(inches), so the best practice would be to still keep her in a booster seat," said Darby.

It's the best practice for Megan and her pal Ellie, but it's not the law.

"Even though she's over age 8, I would still recommend her (Ellie) to be in one, because it will raise her up and have the lap and shoulder belt fit her appropriately," said Darby.

Ellie's Mom, Liz Barnett, knows it's not easy getting a 10-year-old to use a booster seat.

"A lot of her friends don't and haven't done for years, and so she feels like she shouldn't have to," said Barnett.

We asked Darby what parents should do when their children say, "I don't want to use a booster."

"You tell them, 'I'm the parent, and you'll do what I say'… Most kids actually don't mind it, because they're sitting up higher, they can see outside and it's more comfortable," she said.

Firefighter Jeff Herrig doesn't have any problem convincing Mace and Mitchell to use their booster seats. However, he and his neighbor have trouble convincing their ex-wives that the seats are important.

"Neither one of them are proponents of it, they're like, 'Oh, they're big enough, they can sit in a normal seat,'" said Herrig.

Starting July 1, a lot of children will be riding higher. Their parents won't get $50 tickets, but that's not what really matters.

"I want her to be safe, obviously," said Barnett.

There are no laws about children riding in the front seat. However, the Department of Public Safety recommends parents wait until their children are 13.

Paula Engelking, Producer
Contact Paula

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