Offensive and fun
One of the worst things about being a politician is that you can’t say things that are potentially unpopular. But as a father and a journalist, I have to say, booster seat rules that require any kid under 4-9 to use such a seat are nuts. Sure, both of my kids still use booster seats and thankfully, they don’t put up much of a fight. Maybe that will still be the case in a couple more years. Maybe.
But let me make two points on this issue: since there are a large number of adults who are under 4-10, does this mean that they need booster seats and that cars are highly dangerous for them to ride in? Second, living in a state where Graco, one of the top makers of car seats, pushed hard for the changes to require car seats until age 8 (which other states followed, sheep-like), how much of this zeal for safety is really more corporate welfare requiring you to buy car seats? There are simpler, seat-belt based options that test out roughly just as safe as the booster seats do — at less expense and with other, serious benefits.
Let us consider the long-term impacts on such decisions: car seats mean less space, less car-pooling (it’s a nightmare to work out ride sharing now for kids under age eight) and bigger cars. That means more CO emissions, more global warming and maybe, millions of deaths from flooding, starvation and so on in the third world in exchange for a minimal safety benefit here in Pennsylvania. As cars get stronger and safer, it’s impossible to completely determine how much these booster seats truly make any kid safer.
Sure, some twit will say (in a high nasal voice and while wearing a cheap Sears suit): "McGann Wants Your Kid to Die!" or "McGann hates children!"
Obviously, I don’t want your kid to die. But the Republican Mommy-State needs to go back in the kitchen and bake some cookies and leave the rest of us the hell alone. At what price safety? Kids would be really safe if we required them to sit in their cribs until they were eight, too. But then, they’d be not dying, as opposed to living. There’s a balance to be found. Require car seats to age 4? Sure. Beyond that, though, the tradeoffs have to be considered.
And if you’re not already offended, here’s a link to a piece on my other site that mentions video games, serial killers, strip clubs and prostitutes and no, it’s not about Harrisburg, either.