> While initial laws typically applied to children ages one to three, since the mid-1990s mandated age limits have seen a huge ratcheting upwards. The median age at which children are allowed to ride in just a seat belt in U.S. states is now eight, and every single law change has increased the age, not reduced it (with the average state making 3.2 such age changes). Enthusiasm for these laws has not been curbed by studies showing that child car seats are no more effective than seat belts in preventing death or serious injury for children above age two (e.g. Levitt 2008, Doyle and Levitt 2010). This may be due to the perception that such mandates are virtually costless, beyond that of the car seats themselves.
My take? Yes on the above. Also, (a) parents are very risk averse w.r.t. their kids and (b) few lawmakers would vote against even marginal or non-existent safety benefits regarding children -- as long as the mandate makes intuitive sense to most voters.
Car seats are now designed for children up to 120 lbs. I was blown away when I saw that rating. An adult woman may very well be less than that. I'm an adult male of average height and I only exceed that limit by twenty pounds!
> While initial laws typically applied to children ages one to three, since the mid-1990s mandated age limits have seen a huge ratcheting upwards. The median age at which children are allowed to ride in just a seat belt in U.S. states is now eight, and every single law change has increased the age, not reduced it (with the average state making 3.2 such age changes). Enthusiasm for these laws has not been curbed by studies showing that child car seats are no more effective than seat belts in preventing death or serious injury for children above age two (e.g. Levitt 2008, Doyle and Levitt 2010). This may be due to the perception that such mandates are virtually costless, beyond that of the car seats themselves.
My take? Yes on the above. Also, (a) parents are very risk averse w.r.t. their kids and (b) few lawmakers would vote against even marginal or non-existent safety benefits regarding children -- as long as the mandate makes intuitive sense to most voters.