Injury from motor vehicle accidents is the leading cause of death in children between the ages of 2 and 12, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Once your child outgrows his toddler car seat, the best way to protect him is to place him in a booster seat in the back seat of your vehicle. Booster seats are necessary to properly position vehicle safety belts to fit children.
Time Frame
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should ride in forward-facing safety seats until they are at least 4 years old. Once your child reaches the height and weight limit of his car seat, it is time to switch to a booster seat. Continue to place your child in a booster seat until he is at least 8 years old, or 4'9'' tall, recommends the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A child is safest in a booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt properly fits him, meaning the lap belt rests across his upper thighs and the shoulder belt lies across his chest and the center of his shoulder.
Choosing a Seat
Both backless and high-back booster seats are available. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you can safely use a backless booster seat if your vehicle has high seat backs for your child to rest against. If your vehicle has low seat backs and your child’s ears are higher than the top of the seat, chose a high-back seat to protect his neck, advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A booster seat will not protect a child in a vehicle that has lap belts only. If your vehicle only has lap belts, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a forward-facing car seat with a high weight limit to protect your child. Some travel vests, which fit a child like a vest and can be secured with your vehicle’s seat belt, will also work in vehicles that only have lap belts.
Proper Use
Your child should ride in a booster seat every time you travel. Place the booster seat flat against the seat of your vehicle and have your child sit up straight in the seat. Buckle your vehicle’s seat belt across your child and position the lap belt to rest against her thighs. Thread the shoulder belt through the belt positioner, if the seat has one, and make sure the belt lies against your child’s chest and travels up the center of her shoulder. The shoulder belt should not be against her neck and the lap belt should not be against her stomach. Secure the booster seat with the seat belt even when your child is not riding in it; an unsecured booster seat can become a dangerous projectile in a crash.
Considerations
Booster seats give children more freedom to move around than forward-facing car seats. If your child wiggles out of his seat or refuses to stay seated properly, consider purchasing a forward-facing car seat that will accommodate his weight. Teach your child to keep the seat belt positioned correctly. If he moves the shoulder belt behind his back or under his arm, he could sustain serious injuries in a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Warning
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics warn parents not to use products designed to make shoulder belts fit children better in place of or along with a booster seat. These devices can interfere with proper functioning of the seat belt.
