Under a measure that unanimously passed the legislature late in the session, children up to 8 years of age must be restrained in a booster seat when riding in a car. Children taller than 4 feet 9 inches and weighing more than 80 pounds will be exempt.
Current law requires only that children under the age of 4 be in child safety seats, state Rep. Connie Johnson informed her constituents in a legislative update.
By passing this legislation, Missouri joins 34 other states with similar booster seat requirements. The seats are seen in many states as a necessary precaution after federal research indicated that seat belts are often too large to adequately harness small children, leading to the risk of ejection.
The measure was part of a larger transportation bill that would allow for fines up to $10,000 for killing or injuring a highway worker. It would also increase the penalties for failing to yield to emergency vehicles and failing to stop for a school bus when it is picking up or unloading children.