West Virginia is about to join a number of other states, including Pennslyvania to require children 8 and under be sitting in more than just the back seat behind a seat belt.

Next week kids under 8 will have to do a little more than buckle up before heading to the pool with mom or dad.

Under a new West Virginia law effective July 6th, all children under 8 and who stand less than 4 feet 9 inches tall must be buckled in a booster seat.

The current law requires kids 4 years or less than 40 pounds to be in some type of child safety restraint.

But studies have shown in crashes the seat belt shoulder strap can often cause neck damage to the point of injury to a child's windpipe.

A booster seat illeviates that safety concern.

The new law will make the mountain state one of the strictest in the nation when it comes to child safety seat requirements.