National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show over 90 % of child safety seats in the United States are installed incorrectly. When used correctly, child safety seats are 71 percent effective in reducing infant fatalities, 67 % effective in reducing the need for hospitalization and 54 % effective in reducing fatalities for children ages 1 to 4.
Kentucky Booster Seat Law Information
Booster seats provide an extra step between child safety seats and seatbelts.
Senate Bill 120 requires that children younger than 7 and between 40 and 50 inches tall be secured in a booster seat.
The bill requires law enforcement officers to issue citations with a $30 fine with no court costs. In addition, violators will have the option to purchase a booster seat instead of paying the fine.
Boosters are intended to lift the child up off the vehicle seat to improve the fit of the adult lap and shoulder seatbelt.
The lap portion of the belt should fit low on the hips or high on the thighs and the shoulder portion of the belt should be snug across the collarbone.
An improper fit of the adult safety belt can cause the lap belt to ride up over the stomach and the shoulder belt to cut across the neck, potentially exposing the child to serious abdominal or neck injury.
According to Partners for Child Passenger Safety, more than 90% of 4 to 8-year-old children who were seriously injured in a crash were not restrained in a booster seat.