Car wrecks are the #1 cause of death in children. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), research on child safety seats have shown a 71% reduction in the injury rate for infants and 54% for toddlers in passenger cars. Georgia has new child restraint laws effective July 1, 2011. Under the old law once a child turned 6, they did not have to be in a booster seat. The new law raises the mandatory booster seat age from 6 to 8 years, with a couple of exceptions: If a child is over 4' 9" tall, or if the parent or guardian has a medical note stating that the child has a condition that prevents them from being placed or restrained in a booster seat. If your child is 8 years old and too small to safely use a seat belt, continue to use a booster seat because many studies show that booster seats protect our kids far better than vehicle seats and restraint systems built for adults.
