Booster Seat for Children

Your child has traveled in a car seat since her first ride home from the hospital. When she outgrows her car seat, you may wonder if she's ready for just a seat belt.

The answer is a resounding "No." Pediatricians and safety experts agree that all children should use belt-positioning booster seats once they outgrow car seats. Age and weight recommendations vary by state, and there is no federal law. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children use booster seats until adult seat belts fit correctly, usually when the child is 4-foot-9 and between 8 and 12 years old. States such as Oregon and North Carolina require booster seats until a child is 8 years old and weights 80 lbs. Other states have slightly lower requirements for age and weight.

Regardless of your state's specific law, protect your child by using a belt-positioning booster seat and buckling his seat belt every time he travels in the car. Although your child may seem big enough to sit in the car using just a seat belt, remember that she is still a child. Even if your child has passed the age required by your state, remember that every child is a different size. If he is small for his age or the seat belt does not seem to fit him correctly, keep using a booster seat.

The seats in cars and the size and placement of seat belts are designed for average-sized adults. The average adult male is 5-foot-9 and 189 lbs., so some smaller adults barely fit within the safe size range. The seat belt will not fit your child properly, which means that she is not protected in a car accident. In an accident, or even slamming hard on the brakes, a seat belt located across his stomach rather than his lower lap can cause serious internal injuries. When the seat belt rests above your child’s shoulder or is too loose, she can slip under it and be unprotected.

Properly used car restraints can reduce the chance of death in an accident by 60 percent. Many of the tragedies that result from car accidents can be prevented or at least lessened. Every child should be in a booster seat until he is the right size and age. If your older children complain, remember that your job as a parent is to protect them and keep them safe.