New Washington law could have some middle school kids in car seats

FOX 35 ORLANDO - As if middle school wasn't already bad enough, imagine all your friends seeing you roll up in mom and dad's car strapped into a booster seat!

It's about to be a reality for school kids in Washington.

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a new law making the state's car seat regulations more strict. Starting January 1, 2020, booster seats will be mandatory for kids under the age of 12 and who are shorter than 4 feet 9 inches tall.

Any child under the age of 13 must sit in the backseat of the vehicle.

Kids under 2-years-old would have to ride in a rear-facing car seats until they reach the height and weight specified by the seat manufacturer. Children ages 2 to 4 can be in a forward-facing car seat until they reach the specifications for a booster seat.