Child Safety Seats and Utah House Bill 113

Dear Representative *** and Senator ***,

I have noticed with interest HB113, “Child Restraint Device Amendments”. I believe that the current child restraint device laws are too restrictive, and I am pleased the legislature is considering amending them.

In the book “SuperFreakonomics” by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, the authors discuss a study indicating that perfectly installed and fitted car seats for 3- and 6-year-olds are no more effective in a crash in protecting children than the poorly fitting built-in seat belt. (A brief summary of their findings can be found here and here at the Freakonomics Blog at the New York Times website.) While I am not claiming that this is a definitive study on the subject, I am interested in learning what studies and reports the Utah State Legislature is using while considering amending the law. I am especially interested in any recent studies about older children (ages 5-8) and booster seats being considered during the deliberative process.

As much as I applaud the direction of the amending (loosening the requirements on older children), I have serious concerns about the language of the amendment. As written, I do not see how this law could be enforced. How would a police officer know if I was driving directly to or from my home? That I was driving to the school or an authorized activity? That I don’t have a booster seat in the trunk in case I have to drive 5 miles away from the house?

As a parent of four children under the age of seven (with a fifth child on the way), I am directly affected by these laws, and will be for a good many years to come. I would very much appreciate hearing from you on your opinion as to these amendments, on how the law would be enforced, and what scientific studies are being used to inform the Legislature on this subject.

Thank you for your service and your help in this request.
_______________________________

I sent this letter to my state reps yesterday. As I said in the first paragraph, I think the current Utah law is overly restrictive. There are two reasons I believe this:

First, the SuperFreakonomics research is very intriguing, from a safety/risk perspective. Yes, it would be safer to have my children wear helmets all the time, to never ride in a car, and (heavens forbid) never play competitive sports. But are the risks so much greater than the benefits of, say, spontaneous play, transportation, and team spirit? I think not. I'm not against safety (and it seems that no one is arguing that very young children (less than five years old) should be put in child seats), but we really have to weigh the actual risk versus the possible gain. I want to know that our legislature is well informed in making this decision.

Second: Have you ever tried to fit three car seats/booster seat/any combination thereof on one row of seats? It can't be done in a standard minivan or a standard sedan. (Actually, you can, barely, in a standard sedan. If you don't mind having to force the door closed every time, and warping the plastic of both the car seat and the inside door handle.) So this July I am in the unenviable position of a) breaking the law by letting my six-almost-seven-year-old not use a booster; b) buying a full-size van or SUV; or c) not driving anywhere with my five children. Considering I currently drive a 7-person vehicle, this is an unacceptable situation.

Next post: the actual language of the law and the ridiculousness thereof.

A Photoshop That Possibly Only Amuses Me

And maybe my little sister.

Mr. Piano Man

Scattered Sunshine

Yesterday was a sort of warmish day (so is today, for that matter), and the sun was shining in the afternoon. So when we picked up Zee and his friend J. from school, we stayed at the school playground and played for about thirty minutes. Despite a chill in the air (we're expecting snow this weekend), it was beautiful. My sister and her kids were going to join us, but her two-year-old woke up from his nap with a fever, so instead, I swung by her house and picked up her three-year-old, Kay.

I sat on the bench, soaking up the sunshine and smelling the fresh scent of new wood chip. Watching the kids run and yell and slide and climb and play:

• Kay literally jumped up and down, clapping, saying "I did it!" every time she went down the slide.
• Zee and J. made a "clubhouse" under the slides. They thrilled Gee by inviting him in. From inside, he called to me and proudly informed me of his good fortune. "I in the club, Momma!!!!"
• There is a tall spiral slide at the playground. I stood in a good spot, and as Gee came down, I shouted "Boo!" He laughed that sweet, hilarious, infectious belly laugh that toddlers are so good at.
• Zee and J. pulled Hebs (in his stroller) into the "clubhouse", and took turns playing with him.
• Kay was a little scared of the big slide, but Em patiently encouraged her until she made it down for the first time. After that, Kay was all over that slide.
• Em and Kay were playing some sort of chasing game, and while Kay ran past me chasing Em, she shouted out to me, "This is silly, AunRin!"
• I took Heb out of the stroller and put him on the ground. He started tripoding around the wood chips, and then pulled himself up to stand at the "clubhouse". He then spent at least seven minutes bending down to pick up and then throw wood chips through the "window". He looked very proud of himself the whole time.

Of course, by the time we needed to go, Gee was cranky and grumpy, Zee and J. were so hyped up they were hurting each others' feelings and not listening to me, and I was trembling with tiredness. But that is the way of kids, right?

As exhausting as these small people are, they are wonderful and marvelous and fun and exciting to be around. Hopefully I can remember the good time we had for the first 25 minutes, and not the cranky time during the last five. Otherwise, we might not ever go to a park again, and that would be a real shame.

Because it was beautiful.

Happy Groundhog's Day

Happy Groundhog's Day

All the Earth's a Garden Sweet...

My ever-helpful younger brother Samuel has asked me if the elephant picture means I'm feeling big as an elephant. No, Samuel, I am not. During the first half of pregnancy, I lose weight because of the nausea. For this pregnancy, I am down 13 pounds so far. (With Hebs, I don't believe I gained more than 5 lbs total. And, yes, it was a perfectly healthy pregnancy.)

(TMI: Pregnancy is the only time that you can pause in the middle of a meal, vomit, and then return to your meal and finish it. Unless you have an eating disorder, I guess.)

I actually like the song "Love at Home", but it is undeniably sappy. "Sweeter sings the brooklet by/Brighter beams the azure sky"? Treacly. But my favorite line is "Roses bloom beneath our feet." Don't you think that would hurt?

My children--all four--love to sing in church. Zee tries to read the words, but gets so caught up in the reading that he forgets to listen to the rhythm and ends up a half a beat behind (or ahead) of everyone else. It's completely adorable. Em loves it when you whisper the words in her ear ahead of time. She actually has a pretty good ear for tune. Gee just sings whatever words he feels like. And Hebs--well, you can't actually call it singing, but more like joyful hollering.

We are not the quietest pew in the chapel.

I have my first OB appointment on Wednesday; nothing exciting, only bloodwork and paperwork. But next Monday I have my first official appointment, and apparently they will do a quick ultrasound to check dates. (My doctor combined with another practice since my last pregnancy, so this will be the first time I've had an early ultrasound.) I'll be 15.5 weeks, think I can convince them to look for a healthy spine? Sex of the baby?