2 Florida bills seek to improve child safety

The age requirement for child booster seats would be boosted up a year and day care centers would have to install alarms in vans used to transport children under two bills unanimously approved by a Florida Senate committee on Wednesday.

Right now, Florida requires children up to the age of five to be placed in a car seat or booster seat. Republican Sen. Keith Perry’s bill would raise that age to six.

“Data shows that if we can move this by a year we will save a lot of children’s lives,” Perry told the Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee.

The committee also approved Democratic Sen. Linda Stewart’s bill to require alarms to alert child care center van drivers to check to see if any children are left in the vehicle.

“Each and every year we hear about the tragedy that could be avoided and deaths in Florida,” Stewart said. “It’s just time that we put this into play.”