How much should a child weigh for booster seat
Car Seat FAQs – AAA Exchange
1.Moving your child out of a booster seat too soon.
Consequence: Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children. Improper seat belt fit can result in abdominal or neck injury in a crash or sudden stop.
Recommendation: Keep your children in booster seats until the seat belt fits them properly. Children should be able to sit with their back against the seat, knees bending at the edge of the seat and feet touching the floor. The lap belt should be positioned low across their hips and upper thighs with the shoulder belt across their chest and collarbone. Depending on your child’s growth and development, a seat belt typically fits correctly between ages 8 – 12.
2. Not installing the car seat tightly enough.
Consequence: If the seat belt or lower anchor connection is too loose, the car seat will not stay put, subjecting your child to greater crash forces.
Recommendation: The car seat should not move side-to-side or front-to-back more than 1 inch when tested at the belt path.
3. Harness straps too loose.
Consequence: If harnesses are too loose, your child will not be properly restrained in the event of a crash. This may subject your child to higher crash forces, or even ejection from the seat altogether.
Recommendation: Harness straps should lay flat and not have any twists. Be sure the harness is snug enough that you cannot pinch any extra material at the child’s shoulder.
4. Retainer clip (or chest clip) is too low.
Consequence: The retainer clip helps keep the child secure in the car seat in the event of a sudden stop or crash. When a retainer clip is too low, a child can come out of the harnesses or the hard, plastic retainer clip can cause internal damage to their abdomen.
Recommendation: Place the retainer clip at armpit level.
5. Turning your child forward facing too soon.
Consequence: Children in the second year of life are 5 times less likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash if they ride in a rear-facing car seat.
Turning a child forward facing before age two can result in head, neck or spinal cord injury due to their underdeveloped bodies.
Recommendation: A child should remain in a rear-facing seat as long as possible until they reach the upper weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Once your child outgrows a rear-facing infant seat, switch to a rear-facing convertible car seat with higher height and weight limits.
6. Allowing a child under the age of 13 to ride in the front seat.
Consequence: Children under the age of 13 are typically not large enough to safely ride in the front seat and can be seriously injured by front passenger air bags in the event of a crash.
Recommendation: All children under age 13 should be properly restrained in the back seat.
7. Forgetting the top tether.
Consequence: Without the top tether, your child’s head and neck will be subject to excessive forward movement in a crash or sudden stop.
Recommendation: When recommended, always use the top tether with both LATCH or seat belt installations.
8. Adding additional padding, toys or mirrors to your child’s car seat.
Consequence: Using products that have not been tested with the car seat may interfere with how the seat was designed to perform in a crash. Loose items, such as mirrors, can also become a dangerous projectile in a sudden stop or crash.
Recommendation: Only use products that come with the seat or are recommended by the seat manufacturer. Be sure to secure all loose items in a vehicle trunk or storage space.
9. Installing a car seat using LATCH in the center rear seat of a vehicle (when not permitted by the manufacturer).
Consequence: Most vehicles do not support LATCH installations in the center rear seat. Using lower anchors intended for outboard seats could cause the system to fail and the car seat to be thrown in a crash.
Recommendation: Always read your vehicle owner’s manual and only use lower anchors in seating positions that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
10. Transporting unsecured, heavy items, including pets, in the vehicle.
Consequence: Loose items in the vehicle can become dangerous projectiles and seriously injure passengers in the car.
Recommendation: Secure items in a trunk, glove compartment or storage location. Properly restrain pets with approved devices.
11. Installing a car seat using both LATCH AND a seat belt.
Consequence: Installing a car seat with more than one system may put unnecessary stress on the car seat and affect its performance in the event of a crash.
Recommendation: In this case, two is not better than one. Install the car seat in approved seating positions with LATCH OR the seat belt. Do not use more than one system unless the car seat manufacturer and vehicle manufacturer permit it.
12. Wearing bulky coats/sweaters while buckled into a car seat.
Consequence: Unapproved padding, including coats and sweaters, placed behind or under the harness can compress in a crash, creating slack in the harness system.
Recommendation: Place blankets or jackets over the child after the harness is snug and secure.
Is Your Child Ready for a Booster Seat?
It happens in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re bringing home a tiny baby in an infant car seat, and the next you’re wondering whether your big kid is ready to move out of a five-point harness to a belt-positioning booster seat. Children outgrow their car seats at different rates, but contrary to popular belief, the right time to make the switch has little to do with age. So how do you know when your child is ready for a booster seat? Here are some guidelines for making the switch safely at the right time for your little one.
Is My Child Ready for a Booster Seat?
The safest way for your child to ride in a vehicle is to remain in a five-point harness until they exceed the maximum height and weight requirements of their car seat.
Many convertible car seats and harness-to-booster car seats on the market can accommodate children up to 65 pounds. But if you–and they–are ready to move on to a belt-positioning booster seat, make sure your child meets the following booster car seat requirements first.
1. Age.
Each state has its own laws and regulations for booster seat age and weight requirements. What is the law for booster seats? Always check your state’s requirements! That way, you’ll be best informed before moving your child into a different type of car seat. Most state laws and booster seat manufacturers require children to be at least 4 or 5 years old before using a booster. However, age isn’t as important as the other three factors.
2. Weight.
Even if your child is technically old enough to legally ride in a booster seat, they may not weigh enough to safely sit in one. At a minimum, your child should weigh at least 40 pounds before using a belt-positioning booster car seat.
3. Height.
The height of your child is of equal importance to weight when deciding whether they’re ready for a booster seat. You can safely make the switch only if your child is at least 35 inches tall and can sit in the booster seat with their back against the vehicle seat and their knees bent comfortably at the edge of the seat cushion.
4. Maturity.
Some 4-year-olds may be mature enough to properly sit in a booster seat for the entire car trip with the seat belt correctly positioned across the chest and shoulder, but many will be much older. Your child can safely sit in a booster seat only if they can ride without slouching, leaning to the side, or tucking the shoulder belt under their arm or behind their back.
You know your child best. If you can’t rely on your child to sit properly in the booster seat, you can’t rely on the car’s seat belt to properly restrain them when it really counts.
When to Stop Using a Booster Seat
Just as there are requirements for when a child is ready to move into a booster seat, there are also rules for when a child is able to stop using a booster seat altogether.
And these rules may surprise you. Once again, the laws and requirements are different for each state, but typically, your child should remain in a booster until they reach the age of eight and a standing height of at least 4 feet 9 inches. Many children won’t safely be able to ride in a car without a booster seat until they’re 10 to 12 years of age.
The best way to decide if your child can safely ride in a belt-positioning booster seat or without a booster seat at all is to check the position of the seat belt. Does the seat belt sit across the middle of the chest and shoulder without cutting into the child’s neck? Can the child sit comfortably with their back against the seat and their legs bent at the knee over the edge of the seat? Is the lap belt low and snug against your child’s upper thighs? If so, it’s a good fit.
Ready to make the switch? Learn about the pros and cons between the different types of booster seats so you can make the best decision for your child. And remember, the best type of booster seat is one that fits your child and safely secures them while traveling.
Up to what height-age-weight should a child be transported in a child car seat? / Media / Blog on Avtokresel.net
April 1, 2016
I have written a lot about car seats for small children, the importance of rearward driving for as long as possible, etc...
I have written a lot about car seats for small children, the importance of rearward driving for as long as possible, the capacity of such seats, etc. . And today we will talk about car seats for older children.
One of the most frequently asked questions is whether a 2-3 (15-36 kg) or 1-2-3 (9-36 kg) up to 12 years? Can he fit into this chair?
Or vice versa, we often hear feedback - my child outgrew this chair at the age of 7-8!
So, let's define. The most unfortunate criterion for determining the period of actual use of a child car seat (any) is age. Think about it, because all children grow differently. And, in very different ways. Well, how can one equally say how many years a particular chair will accommodate a fragile miniature beauty or a hefty hero who at 9years older than his mother will be?
The age for use of a child restraint is provided as a very rough guide only. As a rule, the situation is considered with a developing ideally average image (according to the WHO table) of a thin child in summer clothes).
For each car seat, there are the following real criteria that you should pay attention to:
- weight limit . European car seats are designed up to a weight of 36 kg. This does not mean that with a greater weight of the passenger, it will fall apart. But there are approved age groups according to which the car seat group is determined. And the weight limit for group 3, on which the chair is tested, is 36 kg. The Americans have seats with a declared passenger weight of ~ 50 kg. True, basically, these are car seats specifically for the American market. In Russia, the European classification is used.
- limiting growth. Depends, of course, on the proportions of the child. Some have long legs, some have a body. But nevertheless, in terms of height, most group 2-3 car seats are quite capable of accommodating a child with a height of 150 cm. Don't believe me? Look at the story, where, as part of the filming for Channel 1, we seated a girl, a little over 150 cm tall, in 2 car seats and there was even a reserve in one.
Unfortunately, the current ECE R44-04 regulation completely ignores this issue, although it is the most important in terms of choosing a car seat for older children, and indeed in general. A new set of rules ECE R129in part of children taller than 105 cm, which should be guided by this indicator has not yet been adopted in principle.
But as a rule, in the legislation of individual countries, the height limit for the mandatory ride in a child car seat is limited from 135 cm to 150 cm. Further, it is considered that the safety of the child is already ensured by a standard seat belt without any additional accessories, at least not worse than adult. Naturally, a regular belt, even if carried out correctly, will not provide, for example, lateral protection for a child. Therefore, I believe that the figure of 150 cm is more correct. But to demand more is definitely fanaticism.
- What is the law?
In Russia, the period of use of child restraints is determined by paragraph 22.9 of the traffic rules. Unfortunately, it completely ignores the issue of height and weight limits for using car seats. Only the age up to which they should be used is indicated - 12 years.
- What to expect?
A bill is under consideration that should finally clearly define the parameters of a child who needs a child car seat. Previously, those same 150 cm and 36 kg. When they accept, if they accept, it will become easier.
UPDATE 09. 2016. It seems that in general they will be accepted from the age of 7 - at the discretion of the parents. While everything is not clear. In any case, we're here to try to do what's right, not what's nominally allowed, right?
- What to do now?
So, the child has outgrown the indicated parameters, and 12 years is still far away! And it doesn't fit in a chair. We put in a booster. There will be no special sense in terms of safety, but also harm. It is not worth using any kind of alternative restraints in this case, because. there is a risk of harm, if something happens.
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Child seats in traffic rules: again not completed!: crusandr — LiveJournal
Unfortunately, innovations are far from ideal: having solved one problem, they instantly created another. Let's take a closer look at how it was, what has changed and what needs to be fixed.
How was it before?
Until July 12, 2017, children from birth to 12 years of age could be transported in the back seat using child car seats, boosters and "other means that allow the child to be secured using seat belts", and in the front passenger seat - only using child restraints devices.
Read clause 22.9 of the SDA in the old version [ here ]
22.9. Transportation of children is allowed provided that their safety is ensured, taking into account the design features of the vehicle.
Transportation of children under 12 years of age in vehicles equipped with seat belts must be carried out using child restraints appropriate for the weight and height of the child, or other means that allow the child to be fastened using seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle, and in the front seat of a car - only with the use of child restraints.
Children under the age of 12 must not be carried in the back seat of a motorcycle.
There were several problems with the wording of in this paragraph.
First, no distinction was made between children of different ages. As if it is not obvious that the requirements for the transportation of newborns and 12-year-olds should be different!
Secondly, the "upper" binding to the age of 12 is flawed: the largest child car seats of category 3 are designed for weight up to 36 kg and height up to 140 cm, and many children at 10-11 years old are already heavier and taller.
Thirdly, some "other means to fasten the child using the seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle" were mentioned. This helped spread the infamous FEST-type adapters, a triangular pad on the seat belt that leads the strap from the child's neck to the chest. Such "adapters" do not provide anything for safety in the event of an accident and even harm: the upper belt slips over the child's neck, and the lower one squeezes the abdominal cavity.
Obviously, all this needed to be changed, and on July 12, the new amendments came into force.
Read paragraph 22.9 of the SDA in the new edition [ here ]
22.9. Transportation of children under the age of 7 years in a passenger car and truck cabin, which are designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX* child restraint system, must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child.
* The name of the ISOFIX child restraint system is given in accordance with the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR RS 018/2011 "On the safety of wheeled vehicles".
Children between the ages of 7 and 11 years (inclusive) in a passenger car and truck cab designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system must be transported using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child, or using seat belts, and in the front seat of a car - only using child restraint systems (devices) corresponding to the weight and height of the child.
The installation of child restraint systems (devices) in a car and the cab of a truck and the placement of children in them must be carried out in accordance with the operating instructions for these systems (devices).
Do not transport children under the age of 12 in the back seat of a motorcycle.
What has changed since July 12, in the rules for transporting children? Let's start with the positive:
- The use of a child seat is now mandatory for all children under 12 years old in the front seat (in the back seat - for children under 7 years old).
- Instead of a child car seat in both the front and rear seats, it is allowed to use a booster (a seat without a back that raises the child to a sufficient height so that the belt does not pass around the neck), but "taking into account the height and weight of the child." The characteristics of the boosters allow them to put children from 15 kg and from 120 cm in them; as a rule, children reach this height and weight at the age of 6-8 years.
- The use of "other means to fasten a child using seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle" is now illegal: this crafty wording has been removed from the SDA. Thus, a barrier has been put in the way of certification of new "adapters" for the belt.
Unfortunately, there was a fly in the ointment. First of all, from July 12, car seats and boosters are not mandatory for children from 7 to 11 years old when they are transported in the back seat! Whether to put the child in this case in a child seat or fasten it with a regular seat belt is left to the discretion of the driver.
This is a very big mistake that will lead to an increase in child mortality in road accidents! As crash tests show, a child of 7-10 years old has a seat belt that goes around his neck and, in the event of a serious accident, will either suffocate him or break his spine.
It is no less dangerous to carry a child in your arms: in case of a sudden stop due to increased acceleration, the weight of the child increases by 10-30 times, no parent will hold him.
And if a child in the back seat is not fastened at all, in case of a serious accident, the backrests of the seats do not save at all: as crash tests show, he hits his head against those sitting next to him, breaks his facial bones, legs, flies into those sitting in front.
So leaving child car seats in the back seat at the discretion of the driver is like lifting the speed limit. "What, I want to and drown 220 km / h, so far I haven't crashed into anyone?"
The second problem: the certificate for crappy FEST adapters says "child restraints", so the cancellation of the wording about "other devices" in this case missed the mark. Meanwhile, UNECE Rules No. 44-04, a reference to which is contained in the Regulations of the Customs Union TR RS 018/2011 "On the safety of wheeled vehicles", expressly states: "The guide strap is considered as an integral element of the child restraint structure and cannot approved separately as a child restraint system.” Given this, the company that issued the certificate was required to revoke it, but this has not yet happened. Fortunately, in December 2016, Rosstandart finally banned the sale of these adapters.
How should the traffic rules be corrected in order to eliminate all the mistakes?
1. Child restraints must be used whether the child is seated in front or behind.
2. The obligatory use of them should be tied not to age, but to the height and weight of the child:
- Car seats are obligatory for children under 135 cm tall and weighing up to 36 kg. With a child weighing from 15 to 36 kg and height from 120 to 150 cm, boosters can be used instead of chairs.
- If the child weighs over 36 kg or is over 150 cm tall, neither a booster seat nor a car seat should be mandatory, no matter how old the child is!
For children over 7 years of age, this can be formulated, for example, as follows: "Children aged 7-11 years inclusive are allowed either in car seats or boosters of size category 3, or in the back seat using a regular seat belt, if height and / or the weight of the child exceeds the limits set by the manufacturer's instructions.
3. It is necessary to introduce a definition of the concept of "Child restraint devices (systems)" into the SDA, including only car seats and boosters in this concept and excluding adapters for belts from it. Then the presence of a certificate for adapters of the FEST type and analogues will not matter, regardless of what is written in them: these devices will not comply with traffic rules.
If you support these proposals, help promote them! To do this, you need to contact the Government Commission for Road Safety.
