For your child, moving from a booster seat to an adult seat belt is a big step out of baby and toddlerhood. For you, it means convenience. Your have one less piece of gear to remember when you drop your child off for a weekend with his grandparents or for a sleepover at a friend's house. Knowing when to get rid of the booster seat, and when to keep it is the key to traveling safely.
Check State Law
Most states have a minimum age that a child must be in some type of child seat---a booster seat or a car seat. Some states also have height and weight minimums. Contact your department of motor vehicles to find out the most up to date regulations in your state, or visit the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety's website for a summary of laws in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia.
Height And Weight Limits
Check the side or back of your child's booster seat for a yellow safety sticker. This sticker is placed by the manufacturer and lists the maximum height and weight the seat is meant to accommodate. If your child exceeds these limits, it is no longer safe for her to ride in that booster seat. Some booster seats have a removable back. If your child is too tall but does not exceed the weight limit, she can continue to use the booster without the back.
Contact Manufacturer
If you purchased a used booster that does not have a safety sticker, find the model number and contact the manufacturer. Their customer service representative will be able to give you the height and weight limits for that seat.
Get Safety CheckuUP
Close to 75 percent of child safety seats are installed or used incorrectly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To make sure that you are using the booster seat correctly, find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to inspect your booster seat and help you be sure your child is as safe as possible in the car. You can find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your area by visiting the Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator on the NHTSA website.
Stay in Back Seat
The safest place for your child, whether he uses a booster seat or an adult seat belt, is still the back seat. This is farthest from the point of impact in a head-on collision.
