Granholm signs bill putting more children in safety seats. Here are some other news sources: Grand Rapids Press; Lansing State Journal; USA Today; Sun Herald; and Jackson Citizens Patriot.

ASSOCIATED PRESS • March 27, 2008

LANSING — Starting this summer, more Michigan children will be required to be in booster seats while traveling state roads.
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Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation Thursday requiring all children under age 8 and shorter than 4-foot-9 to be fastened into booster seats. The new law takes effect July 1, and violators will face fines of up to $65 per offense.

The new measure expands state law already requiring children under age 4 to ride in an infant or child car seat restraint system. The new law is aimed at protecting older children who are not best protected by seat belts alone.

“We know that deaths related to motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of deaths for children in Michigan,” Granholm said during a bill signing ceremony at the Capitol. “We want to make sure that our children are safe.”

An organization called Partners for Child Passenger Safety says that the risk of injury for children between the ages of 4 and 8 is reduced by 59 percent when using a car seat or booster seat.

Michigan will become the 39th state to adopt an expanded booster seat law.

Sen. Michelle McManus, a Republican from Lake Leelanau, has been working to pass the legislation for five years. She said older children often are less reluctant to get into booster seats once their role in safety is adequately explained.

Democrats in the state House sponsored similar legislation.

Also today, Granholm called on the Legislature to pass bills she said would allow the state to get federal money to give booster seats away to more low-income families. There already are some programs available in Michigan to provide booster seats to those most in need.