Restraint required for young riders
Effective July 1, 2009, youth in a motor vehicle must be in a child passenger restraint system until their eighth birthday or they reach 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Sponsors of the law, Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. Jim Carlson said that an improperly fitted adult safety belt could cause the lap belt to ride up over the stomach and the shoulder belt to cut across the neck. If the should strap is uncomfortable, children often place it behind their back, further defeating the safety benefits of the system. A backless booster seat, which raises a child so the belt properly goes around the shoulders and hips, costs less than $20.