Washington State House Democrats

Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of children from injuries

March 9, 2005

OLYMPIA– The House voted 76-22 today to save more children lives by upgrading Anton’s Law to keep most kids up to eight years old in booster seats.

"This is about the safety for our children," said Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park), who sponsored the measure. "Children in a car crash who are too small or short for adult seat belts can slip out, jack-knife out or be seriously injured by the belts themselves."

The most compelling testimony for Schual-Berke’s legislation came from Autumn Alexander Steen, whose 4-year-old son Anton was killed in an eastern Washington car accident in1996 when he thrown from an S.U.V. because his ill-fitting seat belt failed to restrain him.

"Eight years ago, when I buckled 4-year-old Anton into an adult seat belt, I remembered noticing uneasily that it didn’t fit him well," Steen said. "I told myself that if the law was OK, someone must have tested it out. "But we hustled off, not wanting to miss the ferry. As many of you know, Anton was killed that day in a S.U.V. rollover, thrown out to his death, his seat belt failing to hold him in. He paid with his life for my trust in the law that day.

"So I ask you once again, lift a new and better law high against the number one killer of children," Steen said. "You cannot be indifferent to these young passengers on Washington’s roads. And you cannot be indifferent to the parents, such as me, who won’t know better without the golden standard of law."

Five years ago, Washington enacted Anton’s Law, the first law in the nation to require child-restraints for kids. The law, which has not been amended since its enactment, requires children under six years old or under 60 pounds to be in a child-restraint system when traveling in a motor vehicle.

At least 26 states have adopted child-restraint laws since Washington’s Anton Law was enacted in March 2000. A federal child restraint law was enacted three years later, which was also named in honor of Anton. President George Bush signed Anton’s Law on December 4, 2003.

House Bill 1475 would adopt recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Washington State Traffic Safety Commission by requiring child-restraint systems for children up to eight years old or 80 pounds, unless the child is at least four foot nine inches tall. It would also require children under age 13 to ride in the back seat, when practical.

The strong bipartisan support for the legislation reflected unanimous testimony for the bill to the House transportation committee at a February 7 public hearing.

Washington state Secretary of Health Mary Selecky told the committee the bill should be passed because effective child-restraint laws are "the easiest way to prevent death to children."

Angie Ward, Occupant Protection Program Manager for the Traffic Safety Commission, testified that Schual-Berke’s proposal "would bridge a very important gap between Washington’s current law, that covers children until age 6 or 60 pounds, and what is safest: keeping kids in a child-restraint system until at least age 8."

Car crashes are the leading cause of injury death for children under age 18. Studies show child-restraint systems reduce serious head injuries to children in vehicle crashes by 70 percent, and serious injuries overall by 60 percent.