To coincide with Minnesota’s enhanced child restraint law, which took effect on July 1, Freeborn County Public Health received a child passenger safety grant on behalf of AAA Minnesota/Iowa along with a grant from the Albert Lea Medical Center. With the grants, Freeborn County Public Health and Albert Lea Medical Center staff will be at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds on Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to provide child passenger safety education to parents and caregivers and distribute booster seats to Freeborn County families. Children need to meet booster seat guidelines to receive a seat.

Under the new law, child restraint devices will be required for any child under age 8 and under 4 feet 9 inches. The requirement replaces the previous law that only required children under the age of four to ride in car seats.

In 2004-2008,41 children ages 0 to 7 were killed in Minnesota; 57 percent of these children were either unrestrained or improperly restrained.

“Boosters are common-sense safety tools to ensure children are riding as safe as possible in a vehicle,” said Sue Yost, child passenger safety technician, Freeborn County Public Health. “Children who are shorter than 4 feet 9 simply aren’t tall enough to use a seat belt alone. If they do, a belt may do more damage than good in case of a crash.”

During 2004-2008, the estimated cost to Minnesota for the more than 1,200 deaths and injuries to vehicle occupants under age 8 that were not in booster or child safety seats was nearly $45 million.

The Web site www.carseatsmadesimple.org, can answer any additional questions a parent may have.