ESCANABA PUBLIC SAFETY and School Resource Officer Dustin Stempki demonstrates how to properly install a car seat. (Noah Johnson/Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA — Parents with small children may have to adjust vehicle seats come April as Michigan has made changes to its child passenger safety laws.

The state announced multiple changes to the car seat laws that will go into effect on April 2.

Changes include —

— Infant to 2 years: A child must be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 2 years old.

— Tow to 5 years: The child can move into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 5 years old.

— Five to 8 years: The child can then move to a belt-positioning booster seat using a lap and shoulder belt until they are 4 feet, 9 inches or 8 years old.

— All children younger than 13 years: Children younger than 13 must ride in the rear seat of a vehicle if the vehicle has one available.

Escanaba Public Safety and School Resource Officer Dustin Stempki weighed in on the changes and how to keep passengers, particularly children, safe.

“It’s basically keeping the child in a child restraint position longer,” Stempki said.

Stempki is a certified car seat technician of 17 years.

He will report to the department and advise the officers on the new laws so they know what to look for, he said.

“(They’ll be) making sure that the seat is properly installed and that the child is safely secured in the specific seat that’s designed for their height and weight and age, and the driver could be responsible for a civil infraction citation,” he said.

He said his interpretation of the new laws is that they are designed to help keep children safe.

“Basically, what it boils down to is that kids are precious cargo. So we have to protect them the best we can with the appropriate seats,” he said.

“Vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for young children. But you can reduce your child’s risk of death in a crash by 50 percent just by making sure they’re properly restrained in the appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for their age and size,” according to Michigan State Police.

Stempki recommends referencing the specific manufacturing guidelines for the car seat as the seats expire.

If an accident does occur while a car seat is in the vehicle, it is recommended to get a new one.

Some parents may look for used car seats at rummage sales, thrift stores or from friends or family, which is understandable. However, knowing the seat’s history, whether it was involved in an accident, and its expiration date is vital.

If a car seat is bought new, it should come with a mailable registration tag. Stempki recommends filling out the form and mailing it in, so should there be a recall, the manufacturing company can contact the parents.

The placement of the seat is also important; it needs to be away from airbags, as they could injure the child if they are deployed.

They say that car seats or the child is safest in the middle or the back middle as opposed to the right or left, Stempki said.

When installing the seat, ensure the five-point harness is strapped tight but not too tight.

Take off bulky jackets as well, so the straps can tightly secure the child.

He also recommends checking vehicles for loose items such as bags, umbrellas, or ice scrapers, which can act as projectiles during a car crash.

Stempki reminds the public that when riding in the front seat, you should not sit with your feet or legs up on the dash.

“If the airbag ever goes off, it could pop their legs back and result in a major injury,” he said.