Do you know when to start using a booster seat?
After your child outgrows the child safety seat.
Children who have outgrown child safety seats should be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least eight years old, unless they are 4’9” tall.
- National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA)
One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is making sure your child is safe when riding in a car. Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car accidents. Knowing the proper use of car safety seats helps keep your children safe. Not knowing when your child is ready for a booster seat and the kind of booster seat for them can be confusing to a lot of parents.
If you are unsure of what the safety guidelines are for child safety seats as your child grows, I have outlined those regulations below for your consideration.
1. REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS
Are for the infant to ride in the back seat from birth to at least one year old and at least 20 pounds
2. FORWARD-FACING TODDLER SEATS
Are for the child to ride in the back seat from age one to about age four and 20 to 40 pounds.
3. BOOSTER SEATS
Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats. It is best for children to ride in a seat with a harness as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age. If your child outgrows his seat before reaching 4 years of age, consider using a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights. A child has outgrown his forward-facing seat when any one of the following is true:
- He reaches the top weight or height allowed for his seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and also included in the instruction booklet.)
- His shoulders are above the top harness slots.
- His ears have reached the top of the seat.
One of the scariest statistics I have read about child safety is that less than 10% of children age 4-8 use booster seats.
The type of booster seat you choose for your child depends on several things including your child’s size and what kind of vehicle you have.
Booster seats are designed to raise the child up so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. High-back and backless booster seats are available. They do not come with harness straps but are used with the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. Booster seats should be used until your child can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts. Booster seats typically include a plastic clip or guide to help ensure the correct use of the vehicle lap and shoulder belts. See the instruction booklet that comes with the booster seat for directions on how to use the guide or clip.
HIGH-BACK BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEATS
Two types of high-back belt-positioning booster seats are available. This type of seat “boosts” your child up so the vehicle seat belt fits better. One is used only with a lap/shoulder belt and provides head and neck support for your child if your vehicle seat back does not have a head restraint.
NO-BACK BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEAT
These seats are used with a lap/shoulder belt.
They are for use in vehicles with built-in head restraints.
This type also “boosts” your child up so the vehicle safety belt fits better. This booster seat is used with a lap/shoulder belt. It should only be used in vehicles with built-in head rests.
Always use both the lap AND shoulder belt—never just a lap belt.
The shoulder belt should never be placed behind a child’s back or under the arm. If you do, your child could be seriously injured or killed in a crash. Replace a booster seat that has been in a crash—the seat might have defects that you can’t see.
Common questions
Q: What if my car only has lap belts in the back seat?
A: Lap belts work fine with infant-only, convertible, and forward-facing seats. If your car only has lap belts, use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness and higher weight limits. Other options are
- Check to see if shoulder belts can be installed in your vehicle.
- Use a travel vest (some can be used with lap belts).
- Consider buying another car with lap and shoulder belts in the back seat.
Q: Is there a difference between high-back and backless boosters?
A: Both types of boosters are designed to raise your child so the seat belts fit properly and both will reduce your child’s risk of injury in a crash. High-back boosters are useful in vehicles that do not have head rests or have low seat backs. Many seats that look like high-back boosters are actually combination seats. They come with harnesses that can be used for smaller children and can then be removed for older children. Backless boosters are usually less expensive and are easier to move from vehicle to vehicle. Backless boosters can be safely used in vehicles with headrests and high seat backs.
The other converts from a forward-facing toddler seat to a booster seat and comes equipped with a harness. This type can be used as a forward-facing toddler seat when your child is age one to about age four and at least 20 to about 40 pounds. When your child outgrows the toddler seat, remove the harness to use the seat as a booster seat with the vehicle’s lap/shoulder belt. When using the harness, the seats are attached using the vehicle seat belt system and a top tether anchor, if the vehicle has one, or attached with the LATCH system (for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children).
