Granholm signs safety seat bill

This law has been in place in other states for several years, including Illinois. While it may cost parents a little extra $ for these seats (they're about $30), in the end they save the state money -- they have been proven to reduce injuries to children between the ages of 4-8 in accidents, therefore saving insurance companies, state funded medical plans, & ultimately all of us, money.
Quit complaining and learn about the reason behind the policy. On that note, maybe WoodTV could actually provide some valuable journalism here and educate us on the research behind the policy!

This is all about money....adults (parents) are not allowed to think for themselves....let alone to be responsible for themselves and their family....there is no accountibality for ones own actions....uh huh....no fault insurance....this is just the start of my ramblings......typical blue state........

That crazy bit you know the rest has got togo. Money all they want is money 65 dollars for...what? My son is 7 years old and he is 5 foot tall does he have to be in a booster?

I think to those who made comments about the cost of these seats need to know that if it comes to the safety of your children it shouldn't matter.
You can go to the car seat safety inspections often held at fire departments and have them inspect your childs seat for FREE and if your seat is unsafe or you don't have one they provide one for you. It's a wonderful program.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp...
I don't know if this will work. It's dates for car seat safety inspections being held soon around GR.

Debbie Obney wrote:

What the heack is wrong with our Government, Pretty soon they will be telling us what color underwear we have to wear.

We could always rebel and have panty burning parties like they did with the bras way back when...LOL!

Senate bill 82 is just another bill too futher complicate the lives of resposible parents.
Gov. Granholm should have gone as far as too require a safety cage be installed in all vehicles and that our children wear helmets when riding in the car.
Thanks Gov. and Sen. McManus for another government imposed strike against resposible parents!

I think they should print up a reminder to cops and tell them to enforce the law and treat all others all groups the same. I see too many cops letting Latinos off driving infractions all the time with a warning. Yet they give others tickets. The depts need to have them recite their oath again that "all people" will be treated the same. Offer rewards and immunity to Latinos if they turn in a cop for not doing their job, so the officer can be suspended or removed from the force. That way it will make the officer think twice about what they do.

Debbie Obney wrote:

My kids are in Seat belts by the way, I strongly make them get in them but hello ,, Booster seats at the age of 8 or 9 come on be real..
What about people who can't afford one or Sorry I think the shoulder starps are more harmful for all of us . They can let our Motorcyclist not wear helmets but hey tell everyone they need there 8 or 9 or 10 year old has to sit in a booster seat.. They going to redesign them for the kids that are already to big for car seats?

Where did you get the idea that motorcyclists don't have to wear helmets? The law has required that for may years. And please read the law before you comment. It is quite clear on the requirements for a child to be in a booster seat.

this is nothing more then a way to create more revenue for the state .granholm need to go NOW!!!

as for the helmets its becouse of a couple years ago actually they proved the law invalid becouse it said they must wear a "DOT" approved helmet ,well there was no such thing at that time .(for motercycls )
granted it stupid not to wear a helmet while one riding but to each his own

I don't agree with the "to each his own" in this case. Children should not have to pay for having stupid parents, that in and of itself is costly enough. For example, the drunk lady from a couple months ago that left a 12 month old unbelted and no car seat, but she belted her case of beer in. Sometimes children need to be protected from adults, children aren't expected to be smart enough, and too many adults just aren't, regardless of expectations.

GR Teacher wrote:

I don't agree with the "to each his own" in this case. Children should not have to pay for having stupid parents, that in and of itself is costly enough. For example, the drunk lady from a couple months ago that left a 12 month old unbelted and no car seat, but she belted her case of beer in. Sometimes children need to be protected from adults, children aren't expected to be smart enough, and too many adults just aren't, regardless of expectations.

the law didnt help the child did it ? you know its nice how they dont tellyou the injurys a seat belt cause . i know this is a fact becouse when my brother was in an auto accident , thank God he wasnt wearing a seat belt because the determined if he would of been he would of been killed , when i was in my auto accident the seatbelt tore my shoulder up so i had to have surgery to have it repaired and now have a still partially messed up shoulder that has a 6 inch scare on it. besides this law says kids under 4'9" at 8 yrs old well i know a lot of kids older then 8 that are shorter then that . plus a "booster "seat does nothing but increase sales for the seat companies and raises revenue for granholm and her failed governship. a booster seat does NOTHING but make the kids sit up higher and more likely to be injured more.

A concerned person wrote:

<quoted text>
the law didnt help the child did it ? you know its nice how they dont tellyou the injurys a seat belt cause . i know this is a fact becouse when my brother was in an auto accident , thank God he wasnt wearing a seat belt because the determined if he would of been he would of been killed , when i was in my auto accident the seatbelt tore my shoulder up so i had to have surgery to have it repaired and now have a still partially messed up shoulder that has a 6 inch scare on it. besides this law says kids under 4'9" at 8 yrs old well i know a lot of kids older then 8 that are shorter then that . plus a "booster "seat does nothing but increase sales for the seat companies and raises revenue for granholm and her failed governship. a booster seat does NOTHING but make the kids sit up higher and more likely to be injured more.

and better protected by the side-curtain air bags in my car. Everybody has these stories. I had an old girlfriend who had a friend who died because he wore his seatbelt, etc. etc. I implore you concerned person. Please, don't wear your safety belt, in fact don't use the guard on your table saw, remove all of the safety precautions from your lawnmower, smoke while you are gassing up your car, etc.

I still think helmet laws for children in cars should be enacted.

I mean, really, it is all for the children right?

I personally do not understand what the complaints are about.

Has anyone complaining actually researched this? Have you ever spoken with an EMT and heard the horror stories of older children that have been badly injured in car accidents, injuries that could have been prevented.

Seat belts are not designed for children. If the seatbelt is not positioned correctly, due to height, then not only is your child at risk of the seatbelt failing to keep him/her safe, but is also at risk of the seatbelt itself doing more injury.

Here are the guidelines for deciding if your child is ready for a seatbelt without a booster:

1. Can the child sit all the way back on the vehicle seat?

2. Do the child's knees bend naturally at the edge of the vehicle seat and feet sit flat on the floor?

3. Does the shoulder portion of the seat belt cross the middle of one shoulder between the neck and the tip of the shoulder?

4. Does the lap belt portion of the seat belt fit across the upper thighs?

5. Will the child remain in this position the entire ride?

If you have answered "no" to any one of these then the tween still needs to use a booster seat or higher weight harness child safety seat.

The booster is not that much of an inconvenience. It looks similar to a booster seat used in restaurants, there is no extra restraints, nothing like a toddler carseat. It simply enables your children to be positioned correctly so the seatbelt is able to work correctly.

Here is one from Babies R Us. It is $14.99. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp...

I just don't get it. Why is it that people are complaining about something to try to ensure the safety of your children?

Sure it is slightly inconvenient, but what is worse, having your children sit on something that makes them a little taller in a seat, or having your children badly injured, disabled from an accident, or lord forbid dead?

And regarding a child putting up a fight about it, are we talking about temper tantrum throwing toddlers here, or older children? Any child ready for a booster should be able to understand, if you have a reasonable conversation with them, that this is for their safety.

I have an 11 year old that just last year was finally tall enough to be out of a booster. So what that she was 10 and just getting tall enough? I also have a 9 year old still in a booster. My children are intelligent and they understand that this is for their safety and they have no problems with it. If they did, oh well. Either use a booster or don't get in the vehicle.

GR_Mom_of_Five wrote:

I personally do not understand what the complaints are about.
Has anyone complaining actually researched this? Have you ever spoken with an EMT and heard the horror stories of older children that have been badly injured in car accidents, injuries that could have been prevented.

I am one, have been for almost 20 years.

The argument I have is about the gov't once again being involved in parenting. You can't legislate common sense. You can't legislate against stupidity. I know it will save some lives, but tell me, the gov't has nothing better to do that sign another law telling parents how to raise their children? I see a lot of kids under 16 right now that aren't buckled in, so they don't even enforce that law, now there's another law that will be even less enforceable.

You're telling me that cops are going to start pulling people over and weighing and measuring kids that aren't in booster seats as well as checking to make sure they are under 8 years old? Like someone said--not sure it was in this thread--but gov't\laws have great intentions with either disastrous or worthless results.

For that matter, how long have we had seatbelt laws? And yet, people still don't wear them.

And I am being somewhat facetious about helmets, but in reality, if we want to make our kids as safe as possible while riding in cars, don't you think helmets would be a good idea?

Where do you stop once you start?

Get out of our lives and do what you're supposed to do, Granholm.

not when it comes to saving innocent children from stupid parents.

Mark wrote:

<quoted text>
I am one, have been for almost 20 years.
The argument I have is about the gov't once again being involved in parenting. You can't legislate common sense. You can't legislate against stupidity. I know it will save some lives, but tell me, the gov't has nothing better to do that sign another law telling parents how to raise their children? I see a lot of kids under 16 right now that aren't buckled in, so they don't even enforce that law, now there's another law that will be even less enforceable.
You're telling me that cops are going to start pulling people over and weighing and measuring kids that aren't in booster seats as well as checking to make sure they are under 8 years old? Like someone said--not sure it was in this thread--but gov't\laws have great intentions with either disastrous or worthless results.
For that matter, how long have we had seatbelt laws? And yet, people still don't wear them.
And I am being somewhat facetious about helmets, but in reality, if we want to make our kids as safe as possible while riding in cars, don't you think helmets would be a good idea?
Where do you stop once you start?
Get out of our lives and do what you're supposed to do, Granholm.

DITTO

Ned wrote:

not when it comes to saving innocent children from stupid parents.

So how about a license to be a parent?

GR Teacher wrote:

<quoted text>and better protected by the side-curtain air bags in my car. Everybody has these stories. I had an old girlfriend who had a friend who died because he wore his seatbelt, etc. etc. I implore you concerned person. Please, don't wear your safety belt, in fact don't use the guard on your table saw, remove all of the safety precautions from your lawnmower, smoke while you are gassing up your car, etc.

actually i dont use a gaurd on a table saw because they are actually a safety hazarard when trying to cut since the piece being cut usually gets caught on it ,plus they do not allow you to use a push stick that will keep your hands away from the blade .i also have removed the shute from my lawn mower since it plugs up and doesnt allow you to get close to things ..as for smoking i am sorry i dont smoke ..but unlike servaas i dont use gasoline around any kind of fire ..

is there anything thing else you want to know about ?