Physical Well Being
Changes to car seat law designed to keep kids safer
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Monday, July 13, 2009 11:46 AM EDT
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed http://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/0287_284237_7.pdf”>Public Act 57 (HB 4450) making two changes to Michigan’s child passenger safety law. The new requirements, effective immediately, include a rear seating requirement and removal of the nursing mother exemption.
Under the newly revised law, children younger than four must ride in a car seat in the rear seat of the vehicle if the vehicle has a back seat. If all available rear seats are occupied by children under four, then a child under four may ride in the front seat if properly restrained in a car seat. If the child is in a rear-facing car seat, they may be placed in the front seat only if the front passenger air bag is turned off and all rear seats are occupied by children under four.
The legislation also now prohibits removing a child from a car seat to nurse while the vehicle is in motion. Nursing mothers should drive the vehicle to a safe place and stop to feed the baby. With this change Michigan is now eligible for additional federal traffic safety funds.
Michigan State Police