How old before child can sit in booster seat

When to Switch to a Booster Seat – Children's Health

Eventually, your once teeny tiny child will outgrow their car seat. But that doesn't mean they are ready to travel in a car like an adult with only a seat belt. A booster seat helps the seatbelt fit your child properly and keeps them safe in case of a car crash. In fact, children are 60% safer in a booster seat as opposed to a seat belt alone.

But since there is no one age that determines when a child can use a booster seat, it's not always clear when it's time to make the switch. See guidelines to make sure you don't switch too soon.

When can a child start to use a booster seat?

A child is ready for a booster seat when they have outgrown the height or weight limit of their 5-point harness car seat. This is usually when they reach over 65 pounds or 49 inches. You can check your car seat's manual for its height and weight limits and if it can be converted to a booster seat.

There is no one age that means your child is ready to switch from a car seat to a booster seat. Generally, kids are between the ages of 5-9 when they begin to outgrow the weight limitations of a 5-point harness car seat. Before you make the move to a belt-positioning booster seat, make sure your child meets these requirements:

Generally, kids weighing over 65 pounds are ready to switch to a booster seat.
When your child reaches 49 inches (about 4 feet) tall.
When you believe your child is mature enough to properly sit in a booster seat with the seat belt correctly positioned at all times.

It's important not to rush the switch to a booster seat. If your child still fits the height and weight requirements of their car seat, that is their safest option.

How do you install a booster seat?

A booster seat is typically held in place by the child's weight and the vehicle's lap-and-shoulder belt. Some seats do use your car's lower anchors and LATCH system like a car seat. It's important to read the booster seat instruction manual before installing your child's booster seat. Your car's instruction manual can also help you determine how to properly and safely install the seat. If your car doesn't have headrests, you should use a high-back booster seat.

Here are some important tips to follow when you install your child's booster seat:

Always place the booster seat in the back seat.
Always use a lap and shoulder seat belt with the booster seat.
Place the booster seat flat on the vehicle seat.
Have your child sit in the booster seat and pull the seat belt across your child's body to make sure the belt fits properly. The seat belt should rest low on the hips, not across the stomach. Across the chest, the belt should lie firmly in the middle of the child's shoulder.

When can a child stop using a booster seat?

Texas law requires that all children use a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall. Even if your child is 8 and it is legal for them to stop using a booster seat, if they are under 4 feet 9 inches tall, you should continue to use a booster seat to keep your child safe. When your child reaches the height requirement, the seat belt will fit them safely and comfortably.

Children should always travel in the back seat of the car, never the front, until they are 13 years old. They should always have the seat belt on their chest, never around their back. The lap belt should rest against their hips, and the shoulder belt should rest in the middle of their shoulder. If it doesn't, you should keep using the booster seat.

Do booster seats expire?

Yes, car seats and booster seats do expire. That's because of wear and tear and changing regulations along with recalls and manufacturer testing. In general, car seats expire between 6 and 10 years from the manufacture date.

Before you purchase a used booster seat or borrow one from a friend, check for a recall from the manufacturer's website. Safe Kids also maintains an ongoing list.

If you can't find an expiration date on the bottom or back of the booster seat, you can also check the manufacturer's website for your booster seat brand and information on how to find the expiration date.

Learn more

Children's Health℠ certified child passenger safety technicians can help you understand what car seat is right for your child and how to install it. Learn more about our car seat services.

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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.

Age and Car Seat Chart

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.

At what age can a child be transported in the front seat?

At what age can a child be transported in the front seat?

Many, even experienced drivers, cannot give an exact answer as to whether children are allowed to be transported in a vehicle in the front passenger seat. In this article, we will consider the rules for transporting children in the front seat in accordance with traffic rules. Is it even possible to transport a child in the front seat of a car?

Contrary to the opinion of most motorists who believe that children are only allowed to be transported in the back seat, the SDA states that children are allowed to be transported both in the back and in the front seat. Only the transportation rules themselves depend on the age of the child. The SDA does not provide for a minimum age from which it is allowed to carry children in the front seat, however, if the child is under 12 years old, then a special child car seat is required. Thus, in legal terms, children can be transported in the front seat from the moment they are born.

For better understanding, we will conditionally divide children into two groups - from birth to 3 years old, and children over 3 years old. What are the differences in their transportation? Let's figure it out.

See catalog of group 0+ seats

Children from birth are transported in group 0+ car seats. The installation of a seat of this group on the front seat is carried out only against the direction of travel, fastening is carried out with a regular car seat belt. When transporting newborns in an infant carrier in the front seat mandatory the passenger airbag must be deactivated. This is explained quite simply - in an emergency, when the airbag is triggered, the chair can be thrown towards the passenger compartment and damage the child who is in it.

The second variation of the infant car seat is Group 1, for children from 9 months to 4 years of age. In this case, there are two variations - movement against the course and along the course of the car. As long as the child moves against the direction of travel, the same rules apply as for group 0+, and when the child sits down already in the direction of travel, the airbag can no longer be turned off. One of the best group 1 seats to use in the front seat - Britax-Roemer King II .

Well, in conclusion, let's consider the possibility of installing a car seat for children over 3 years old on the front seat, this is group 2/3.

See the catalog of group 2/3 seats

In the older group 2/3, transporting children in the front seat of a car is quite simple. The child car seat is installed in the direction of travel, and together with the child, it is held by the standard car belt. There is no need to deactivate the passenger airbag during this transportation.

As a result, we can conclude that, if necessary, you can transport your child in the front seat of the car, right from his birth. But, for this, a number of conditions must be observed - your seat must be suitable for such transportation, and when installing the seat against the direction of the vehicle, the passenger airbag must be turned off.

Safe travels!

With a child in a child seat in Europe - what are the rules in other countries?

If you are traveling with a child, the child must be transported in a special seat to drive the car. It should be used not only to avoid a fine, but also to ensure the safety of the child in the event of a collision or accident. Are you curious about the rules for transporting children in other European countries? Read our article!

What will you learn from this post?

How to transport a child by car in Poland?
How to install a car seat to ensure that you are transporting your child in accordance with European Union regulations?
What are the rules in the most visited European countries?

In short

If you're going on holiday with your baby, don't forget to carry your baby in a special car seat. Regulations in the EU are similar but not identical. If you want to be sure you're not breaking any rules, install an approved car seat in the back of your car that's adapted to your child's weight and height.

Transportation of a child to Poland

By law, In Poland, a child under 150 cm must use a car seat when traveling by car. . However, there are three exceptions to this rule. If a child is taller than 135 cm and does not fit in the seat due to its weight, it can be transported in the back seat with the straps attached. A child over 3 years old can ride in the back seat wearing only seat belts if we carry only three small passengers and it is not possible to install more than two seats. This also releases the child from the obligation to carry the child in the seat. medical certificate of contraindications for health . How are things in other European countries?

Law of the EU countries

It turns out that The law on the transport of children in a car through the territory of individual EU countries is not uniform . The differences are small, so if you cross several borders during your trip, it is safest to install a car seat in the back seat according to the weight and height of your child . Choosing such a solution, we can be sure that we do not violate the laws of any country. There are also suggestions in EU countries that if a child is seated rearward facing in the front seat, the airbags should be deactivated.

Below we provide basic information about the current regulations in the most visited European countries.

Austria

Children under 14 years of age and less than 150 cm in height may only be transported in a suitable child seat. . Older and older children can use normal seat belts as long as they do not go over the neck.

Croatia

Children under 2 years of age must be transported in a rear-facing child seat. and aged 2 to 5 in a car seat in the back seat. Between the ages of 5 and 12, a spacer should be used to safely use regular seat belts. Children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.

Czech Republic

children weighing less than 36 kg and less than 150 cm tall must use a properly fitted child seat.

France

Children under 10 must use a car seat that is appropriate for their height and weight. They can only drive in the front seat if the car has no rear seats, the rear seats are not equipped with seat belts, or if all the seats are occupied by other children. Children under the age of 10 can be transported in the rear facing front seat with the airbag deactivated.

Hiszpania

Children under 3 years of age may only travel in an approved seat in the back seat. A child under 136 cm in height can only sit in the front in a properly fitted car seat and provided that they cannot sit in the back seat. Children under 150 cm must use a restraint system appropriate for their height and weight.

Hollandia

Children under 3 years of age must be carried in a rear seat. Children under 12 and less than 150 cm tall may only travel in the front seat in a suitable child seat.

Niemcy

Children under 150 cm must be transported in an appropriate seat, and children under 3 cannot travel in cars without seat belts.

Slovakia

Children under 12 years of age and less than 150 cm must be transported in a seat or fastened with a seat belt appropriate for their height and weight.

Hungary

Children under 3 years of age must be transported in an appropriate child seat. Children over 3 years of age and under 135 cm must travel in the back seat with seat belts appropriate for their height and weight.

Welka Brytania

Children under 3 must travel in an appropriate child seat. Children aged 3-12 and less than 135 cm tall can ride in the front or rear seat with seat belts adjusted for their height and weight.