Bill OK’d to extend usage of children’s car-seats

Thursday, April 10, 2003 | 9:02 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A bill requiring more children to be placed in safety restraints in cars and toughening the penalty for failing to do so has passed the Senate.

Senate Bill 116, which goes to the Assembly, requires that children under 9 years old and weighing 80 pounds or less must be secured. The current law states that children under 5 years old and who weigh less than 40 pounds must be restrained.

Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, called kids between 5 and 9 years old "forgotten children." He said they are too small for an adult restraint system and are often injured or killed in crashes, even in low-speed accidents while wearing the belts.

In Nevada, he said, there have been 12 documented deaths of children in this age group who were not restrained or who were secured by an adult seat belt.

If the bill becomes law, parents would have to get booster seats, costing between $15 and $23 apiece, to raise children in the seat.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, while voting against the bill, said, "We can't legislate to death these safety issues."

"I think the public will laugh at us," he said.

The present fine of $35 to $100 would be raised from $50 to $500, or a judge could require the offender to perform community service of up to 50 hours.

The court is given authority to waive any amount of the fine in excess of $50 if the offender completes a program of training on the installation and use of a child restraint system and shows that the system has been installed in the vehicle.

If the bill passes, it would become effective in June 2004. Nolan said the extra time would allow for an education program for the public to be conducted by ambulance companies, firefighters, law enforcement, hospitals and volunteer groups.

Twenty-two states have adopted similar bills, Nolan said.

Voting against the bill were Sens. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, and Coffin.