TINLEY PARK—Starting Jan. 1, 2019, Illinois law will require children under the age of two to be properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is more than 40 inches tall.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) championed the measure. House Bill 4377 passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support.

“Public safety is our number one priority. This new law will ensure our children are safe should disaster strike,” Hastings said. “Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children under the age of 13. It is absolutely imperative that we do whatever we can as lawmakers to save lives.”

A 2007 study in the Injury Prevention Journal found that children under age two are 75 percent less likely to die or to be severely injured in a crash if they are in rear-facing seats.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states rear-facing child safety seats give better support to the head, neck and spine of infants by distributing the force of the collision over the entire body.

“One life lost is too many,” Hastings said. “We have solid evidence that will help us save lives. It’s our job as parents to utilize best practices and protect the lives of our children.”