OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The first change to Child Passenger Safety laws in Nebraska deals with the age of young travelers. Children age 8 and younger must ride in a federally approved child safety seat.
A mother to a 9-year-old son Theresa Ashton thought the rules were determined by a child's size.
"We thought it was a height thing that you had to stay on the booster until it was 59 inches, something like that," Ashton said. "That's just what the pediatrician told us until he got to a certain height, then he could get out of the booster seat."
Other changes in the law address the way that car seats face. Children up to age 2 must be seated so they face the back of the car.
"Children in rear facing seat are more protective of the head and spine," Mark Segerstrom of the Nebraska Safety Council said. "The younger children--their bones haven't fused yet."
Some parents say the rule changes can be hard to track. Jed and Kym Snarr have lived across the country, and the child car seat law is something that's different depending where they have lived. The new Nebraska laws reflect what the Snarrs remember when living in California.
"Depending on your circumstance and awareness of law and safety, I think it can take a lot of ways to meet those safety needs," Jed Snarr said.
There is a penalty if you don't meet the new state requirements. A violation carries a $25 fine before court costs along with one point assessed on the driver's record.
