Commentary

1961 Car Seat

Child seat laws: 30 years old

In 1978, the nation's first child safety seat law was enacted in Tennessee. Other states followed, including Colorado. A recent nationwide survey, conducted by AAA to mark the 30th anniversary of child passenger safety laws, shows the majority of parents strongly support such laws and the use of child seats.

"As child seat technology and legislation have evolved over the last three decades, so, too, have parental attitudes," said Robert Darbelnet, national president and CEO of AAA. "Today, many parents make it a priority to properly restrain their children when driving because of the proven life-saving benefits of car seats."

Yet despite this positive shift in attitudes, every year children die in crashes they could have survived if they had been correctly restrained.

State laws vary greatly. Every state has a provision for children under age four, but Colorado is one of just 18 states that also require older children to be restrained in a booster seat. While 93% of parents surveyed nationwide said they are aware of their state's child restraint laws, less than half (39%) could accurately identify the age at which their state allows a child to ride in an automobile with only a lap and shoulder belt. In Colorado, that age is six, or a height of at least 55 inches. A child's height is the best indicator of seat belt fit.

"AAA honors the efforts of all those who worked tirelessly to improve child passenger safety standards and increase the use of child safety seats over the last three decades. The traffic safety community, however, must remain committed to educating the public," concluded Darbelnet.

Colorado has more than 1,000 certified car seat technicians trained to educate parents on how to properly install and use car seats. Additionally, Colorado leads the nation with more than 150 car seat fit stations throughout the state. A listing of these fit stations can be found at www.carseatcolorado.com.

AAA continues to work to enact comprehensive child passenger safety laws protecting children up to the age of eight in every state. For more information on Colorado child passenger restraint laws and AAA Colorado's recommended practices for parents, visit the News & Safety page at www.AAA.com, or call 303-753-8800, ext. 8105, to request a brochure.