Booster seats are an important transition between a car seat and an adult seat belt. Many parents and children are eager to move to a booster seat because it allows the child more independence. Kids who use booster seats can typically get into the car and buckle their seat belts independently, freeing their parents to help younger siblings.
State Law
The laws governing when a child can move to a booster seat vary by state. Some states, such as Oklahoma, do not have a specific age when a child can use a booster seat. Instead they dictate that children younger than a certain age must be restrained in a booster or a car seat.
Maximum Height And Weight
Move your child to a booster seat when he outgrows his car seat. Look for a sticker on the back or side of the car seat listing the maximum height and weight recommended for that seat. Use a booster seat until your child reaches the legal height and weight for a regular seat belt.
Using Shoulder Straps
Always use a shoulder strap with a booster seat. Do not use a booster seat with a lap belt alone. Using a booster seat without a shoulder strap can cause serious head and neck injuries during a crash.
Booster Seat Placement
If possible, place your child in the middle of the back seat of the car. In a minivan, the middle row may be the safest place, as it is furthest from any point of impact during a head-on or rear-ending crash.
Never place your child in the front seat if your car has passenger airbags that cannot be disabled. Airbags are not designed for child use and can cause more injuries to children than they would prevent.
Teach Safety Rules
Teach your child to be responsible when she moves to a booster seat. She will be able to buckle and unbuckle her own seat belt. Teach her never to unbuckle unless the car is parked. Many children test the limits of their newfound independence at first. Explain the danger of being unbuckled in a moving car, and tell them that if she cannot be trusted to stay buckled in a booster seat she will have to go back to her car seat. She will quickly learn to take responsibility for her own safety.
