Davis Gets Bill to Expand Use of Car Seats

Children as old as 6 will have to be restrained in child seats when they travel with their parents or guardians on California roadways if a bill headed for the governor’s desk becomes law.

Under current law, parents or guardians can be fined $100 if they fail to transport children who are under age 4 or who weigh less than 40 pounds in special car seats.

But state Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Daly City) said it is unsafe to simply use a vehicle’s seat belts to restrain children who are 4, 5 or 6 years old. “We dump them into a car’s seat belt that’s designed for a man weighing about 168 pounds,” she said.

The Senate voted 21 to 11 Wednesday to approve Assembly amendments to her bill, SB 567, sending it to Gov. Gray Davis. His office said he has not taken a position on the measure.

The bill would boost the potential fine for a second violation of child seat requirements to $250. But instead of paying a fine, parents who had not been convicted of a child seat violation in the previous 36 months could be sent to an education program about the proper use of child restraint systems.