Brickbat: Needing a Boost

The California Assembly Transportation Committee has approved A.B. 435, which would require all children younger than 10 years old and shorter kids under 13 to sit on a booster seat. All children under 13 would be prohibited from sitting in the front seat, and teens up to 16 years old would also be banned from riding shotgun unless they meet the height requirements. Currently, children at least 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall do not have to use a booster seat. Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D–Suisun City), the bill's author, cited national statistics that show child injuries and fatalities in crashes have increased since the pandemic. "God forbid something happens; we want our children to be safe," said Wilson.