Senator Fuschillo Informs Parents Of New Booster Seat Law At Child Safety Seat Inspection

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (8th Senate District) and the Education & Assistance Corporation (EAC) recently held a child safety seat inspection at Conte Chevrolet in Freeport. The event offered parents the opportunity to have their child safety seats examined by certified inspectors.

The free safety inspections were done as part of EAC’s Safe Start program, which aims to improve the use of safety restraints for all motor vehicle occupants and to promote safer driving practices through education. Topics such as aggressive driving, driving distractions, improper or nonuse of seat belts, child safety seats, booster seats or other child passenger restraints and the dangers of leaving children unattended in motor vehicles are all covered of the program.

Parents were also supplied with information on how to properly safeguard their children in motor vehicles, including information about New York State’s new booster seat law. The law, which Senator Fuschillo cosponsored, took effect on March 27th of this year.

Under the new law:
- Children between the ages of 4 and 7 must be restrained in an appropriate child safety seat, harness/vest, or booster seat that meets the child's height, weight, and size according to the manufacturer's recommendation for that restraint system.

- Children under the age of 4 are required to be restrained in a federally approved child safety seat when riding in a motor vehicle. If the weight of a child under the age of 4 exceeds 40 pounds, the child may be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system, allowing the child to use a booster seat.

- Violators could face a fine ranging from $25 to $100.

"Having your child’s safety seat inspected and making sure that it is properly installed is the best way to ensure that your child is fully protected while riding in a car. The service we provided helped educate parents about proper use of these valuable safety devices," said Senator Fuschillo.

For more information about car seat safety and New York State’s new booster seat laws, please CLICK HERE.

PHOTOS FROM THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT EVENT ON MARCH 19

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES FROM SENATOR FUSCHILLO, PLEASE CLICK HERE.