When Can a Child Stop Using a Booster Seat?
Parents often ask about when to stop using a booster seat. The answer to this question all depends on your child’s age and size, the type of car you drive, and the current laws such as the child booster seat laws in your city.
Aside from those mentioned above, children are often not ready to switch from a booster seat to seat belts. They need to be at least four feet and nine inches tall. At this, height, a seat belt should fit the child properly across the chest and lap when sitting up straight against the seat. This usually happens when children are between eight and 10 years old.
When can a child sit in a booster seat and when is it not safe to?
A booster seat protects a child better than adult seat belts do. In the case of a vehicle collision, using an adult seat belt too soon can lead to more injuries. When the lap belt rests on your child’s tummy area, instead of across the lap, he or she can have stomach, spleen, or liver injuries. When the shoulder belt crosses the child’s neck instead of the chest, the child can freely move it under his or her arm. This leaves the ribs and internal organs vulnerable to injury. Back injuries can also occur because the neck, spine, and head have no protection.
To answer the question when a child can stop using a booster seat and ride with a seat belt alone, you must test the fit of your car’s seat belts from time to time. Try to buckle up your child in the back seat without the booster, and observe the following:
- Is your child able to sit all the way back against the vehicle’s seat?
- Can your child’s knees bend comfortably at the seat’s edge?
- Is the lap belt resting naturally below his tummy area?
- Is your car’s shoulder belt centering across his chest as well a his shoulder?
- Will he or she be able to stay seated like this for the entire trip?
If you replied no to these questions, then your child still requires a booster seat. Bear in mind that there are those designed for children weighing up to 100 pounds. Your child may complain that boosters are for babies, so you have to explain to him or her why using the booster seat is important. If your current booster seat is too small for your child, shop with him or her and ask which booster seat he or she is most comfortable using. Explain that there are some things that he or she can choose while riding, like which music to listen to, or games to play on the iPad, safety is not a choice and cannot be compromised.
As soon as your child is all set to move to a seat belt by himself, do not purchase a belt positioning device to make the belt feel comfortable for him; these devices make seat belts ineffective.
