Until today (October 1st, 2012), children in Maryland could ride without any kind of child safety seat if they were at least 65 pounds. Now, they must remain in a booster seat until they are 8 years old (I accidentally typed 89 just now, maybe it’s a Freudian typo) unless they are at least 4′ 9″ tall.

In other words, when deciding if a child needs a safety seat or not, the child’s weight is now irrelevant, but their age and height aren’t.

This is a law that should help keep children safe. It makes it clear that when a child is under 8 years old they need to be in special child seating.

Because we all know that police offers have measuring tape they use to determine the height of children if they suspect a violation. Additionally, all parents are travelling with their children’s birth certificates to prove their age. How about the radical idea of LEAVING THIS DECISION UP TO THE PARENTS?

Related posts:

1. Make Sense, Not Laws
2. The Stuff That Laws Are Made Of
3. Law Enforcement Interpretation of Laws
4. There’s a Law for That
5. Homeschooling Hassles