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Last Updated: Monday March 12 2007 07:25 GMT

My booster seat investigation

Press Packer Eli in his booster seat

Nearly six months ago, a law came in which means that kids younger than 12 who are less than 135cm tall have to sit on a booster seat when they're in a car.

Press Packer Eli wrote to Newsround because he was annoyed that he had to use one and he wanted to find out more about them.

We helped Eli to investigate further.

"I was quite annoyed when I found out I'd have to use a booster seat and the first one I tried was quite uncomfortable.

Once I found out it was for safety reasons I felt happier about using one, but I still wasn't that keen.

So I wrote into Newsround and they helped me to find out more about them.

The investigation begins
Press Packer Eli at the test centre
Press Packer Eli at the test centre

I went to a test centre that crashes cars with and without booster seats.

It was very loud when the car was crashed into the wall and it was really shocking.

I also saw what happened in slow motion on one of the test centre's high speed cameras.

It was much safer when the booster seat was used - it put the seatbelt in the right place so that it didn't cut into the dummy and injure it.

I felt much happier about using my booster seat after seeing how much safer they made me.

My friends don't like using booster seats, but I think they'd feel much better about them if they'd seen the crashes I saw at the test centre.

Police interview
Press Packer Eli with PC Erb
Press Packer Eli with PC Erb

Afterwards I met up with a policeman, PC Erb, to find out how they check that people are using booster seats and what happens if you're caught not using one.

He told me that it's hard to check that everyone is using them but that they look out for things like kids jumping around on their seats or swaying from side to side.

If they do stop people, they measure them - if they're under 135cm and not using a booster seat then their parents can be fined.

Eli's conclusion

It was great getting to do an investigation about booster seats with Newsround - the crash test centre was really shocking and it was cool meeting the policeman.

I feel much happier about booster seats now, but I'm still looking forward to not having to use one!"

Eli, 9, Worthing



Why don't you write us a Press Pack report - and get it published on the site?!

It can be about anything that's happened in your local area - or your views on the news.



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