Auto crashes are the leading cause of death in children over 3 years of age, according to the website Babycenter. Your child should sit in a booster seat once he has outgrown his forward-facing or convertible car seat. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, your child should be in a booster seat until he is 8 years old and 58 inches tall.
Purpose
A booster seat helps your child sit higher up on the seat so that the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt fit her properly. A seat belt that does not fit her properly might not protect her in a crash and actually can cause more problems. For example, if the lap belt rests across her tummy instead of across her thighs, she can experience stomach, liver or spleen damage during an accident.
Choosing a Seat
Choose a new booster seat; a second-hand seat might not meet current government safety standards. The Babycenter website recommends choosing a seat that does not have plastic tray bars across the front, because they can deliver extra force to your child's stomach during a crash. You can pick a booster seat with a high back or one that is backless. The best design depends on your vehicle. You might want to get a booster seat with a high back if the seats in your vehicle are not high enough to support your child's head and neck in an accident.
Installation
Be sure to follow the manufacturer instructions that came with your child's booster seat. If the seat came with belt positioning clips, use them in the vehicle to keep the seat secure. You can also take the booster seat and your vehicle to a local police or fire station to have a certified volunteer show you how to safely install the seat.
Seat Placement
The safest place to put your child is in the center of the rear seat in your vehicle. This location protects him from a side-impact crash. However, if the middle seat in your vehicle does not have a lap and shoulder belt, you need to put the seat where both belts are available. If you have more than one child, the booster seat might not be able to go in the middle seat. Follow the booster seat manufacturer's instructions.
Safe Use
Be sure your child uses the booster seat any time she is in a vehicle. She is safely in the seat when she is able to sit all the way against the seat back and when her knees bend at the edge of the seat cushion.
