Minnesota and Wisconsin Law Enforcement Agencies Host Passenger Safety Awareness Event

DULUTH, Minn. — Law enforcement agencies across Minnesota and Wisconsin are urging drivers to make sure their passengers are safe on the roads.

Officials say drivers tend to be more focused on road safety during the busy summer travel months. But after Labor Day travel slows down and more mistakes are made, some deadly.

“As we enter into the fall season and we transition out of that really busy summer season, data tells us, and our statistics tell us that the crash rate and the unbelted rate tends to go up at this time of the year. So, we want to refocus everybody again on what they can do to keep themselves and their family and their children safe when they’re traveling across the northland this fall. And that means putting that seatbelt on, every trip, every seat, every time. And making sure your kids are properly restrained in a properly installed child passenger safety system,” said Mike Hanson, Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Minnesota now has a new law that specifically states how old a child should be for rear-and forward-facing car seats or booster seats while also increasing the booster seat requirement from 8 years old to 9 years old. The past state law deferred to the car seat manufacturer’s instructions on a child’s height and weight.