“Parents are awash in health and safety messages regarding their kids”, said Mark Shaw, President and CEO of AAA Southern New England. “Their priority filters tell them that if a warning is not a law, the potential is not life threatening. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to properly securing our kids.”

Studies show that nine-out-of-ten parents believe that if they adhere to their state’s current child passenger safety law, they’ll be taking the necessary steps to protect their children. “Parents are being given a false sense of security by following the letter of the Commonwealth’s law and in the process, unknowingly endangering their children,” said Mr. Shaw.

The booster seat bill, S. 2018, passed the Senate unanimously last year, but awaits action in the House. “I am optimistic that the Legislature will take action on this bill soon,” said bill sponsor Sen. Steven Baddour (D-Methuen) Chairman of the Committee on Transportation. "This legislation seeks to change the way parents think about protecting their children when they are in a car. If parents know the risks involved with unrestrained or improperly restrained kids, they will hopefully make better choices about using booster seats to these new standards."

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino has made passage of the booster seat bill a priority, introducing legislation over the last several sessions. “We have a responsibility to protect kids and prevent them from injury,” said Mayor Menino. “This bill will help parents and it will save lives. I encourage the legislators to take this critical step for children’s health and safety.”

According to AAA, height is the best judge for when a child can be safely buckled in an adult safety belt, because the booster seat raises a child up so that the seat belt is properly positioned across a child’s lap and chest. The age cutoff is important because it prevents smaller adults from being subject to the law.

Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Rep. Michael Costello (D-Newburyport) added his support. "I'm happy to join Senator Steven Baddour in supporting the booster seat bill," said Rep. Costello. "All of the experts agree that this legislation will save lives. It makes sense from a public safety perspective and it makes sense from a public health perspective."

Current law requires children up to age five and forty pounds to be in a child restraint while a passenger in a motor vehicle. From age five through twelve, the law only requires the child to be fastened in a safety belt. Massachusetts’ law suggests to parents that it is safe for their children who are five, six and seven years old to be placed in an adult safety belt.

The fine for violating this proposed law would be $25 per child, and it remains a non-surchargeable offense for insurance purposes. Booster seats are available in some department stores for as little as $20. “A booster seat is one of the most effective and least expensive ways to protect an older child,” said Sgt. Michael Crosby, of the Massachusetts State Police Traffic Programs Section.

38 states and the District of Columbia have booster seat laws in place. “All of New England and the entire east coast down to Georgia have booster seat laws. Massachusetts remains a glaring exception to the accepted safety rule,” said Mr. Shaw.

Joining AAA Southern New England in support of S. 2018 was Chris E. Mensing, President & CEO of AAA Pioneer Valley in West Springfield, and Earle B. Seeley, President & CEO of AAA Merrimack Valley in North Andover. These AAA clubs together represent more than 2 million AAA members across the Commonwealth.

"Keeping our children safe is of paramount importance as parents. Using a booster seat up to at least age 8 is one of the safest things we can do," said Gregory Parkinson, M.D., a Pediatrician at Falmouth Pediatric Associates.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 350 children age 4 to 7 die in traffic crashes each year, and about 50,000 are injured. Half of those who die are not in any type of restraint (child safety seats, booster seats, or seat belts.) A 2006 NHTSA study shows that, 41 percent of children ages 4-7 were using booster seats (whether high-backed or backless), 17 percent were restrained in child safety seats, 33 percent were in seat belts, and 9 percent were unrestrained.

Beyond all the statistics, the goal of this bill is to keep kids safe. “The greatest sorrow in the world is the loss of a child to a parent; there is no greater or more profound grief in this life. We must pass the booster seat bill into law, so that we do not have to tell a mom and a dad that their child is dead or crippled because we did not look after these most vulnerable citizens. It is a moral imperative to pass this bill.” said Brian Gilchrist, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Floating Hospital at Tufts Medical Center.