Parents of small children should be aware of a change in seat restraint law to take effect the beginning of July.

July 1, that is the date that parents of children under the age of seven will need to take heed of changes to Section 63-7-301 of Mississippi Code of 1972. Those changes state that a child being transported in a motor vehicle should be in some sort of child restraint device. Picayune Police Public Information Officer Capt. Theresa Milar said children under the age of four years old should still be restrained in a car seat. Children between the age of four to seven should be restrained in a booster seat system meeting the proper safety standards.

The amendment states that children less than seven years old measuring less than four feet nine inches and weighing less than 65 pounds should be in a booster seat. There is no grace period for this amendment. “The law goes into effect July 1st and that’s when it will be enforced,” Milar said.

Milar said Chief Jim Luke stated this amendment is for the good of the community’s children and his department will be out enforcing it. If community members have a question about whether their child restraint device is being used properly Milar said she and Ginger Bennett are available to assist them by calling 601-798-6829.