How tall should a child be for booster seat

Booster Seats for School-Aged Children

Safety & Prevention

Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing seats. All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly. Typically, this is when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age. Most children will not fit in most vehicle seat belts without a booster until 10 to 12 years of age.

All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat. Instructions that come with your car safety seat will tell you the height and weight limits for the seat. As a general guideline, a child has outgrown a forward-facing seat when any of the following situations is true:

They reach the top weight or height allowed for his seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and in the instruction manual.)
Their shoulders are above the top harness slots.
The tops of their ears have reached the top of the seat.

Types of Booster Seats:

High-back and backless are 2 standard types of booster seats. They do not come with a harness but are used with lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. They are designed to raise a child up so that lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly over the strongest parts of the child’s body.

Most booster seats are not secured to the vehicle seat with the seat belt or lower anchors and tether but simply rest on the vehicle seat and are held in place once the seat belt is fastened over a child. However, some models of booster seats can be secured to the vehicle seat and kept in place by using the lower anchors and tether along with lap and shoulder belts. (Currently, only a few vehicle manufacturers offer integrated booster seats. )

Installation Tips for Booster Seats:

When using a booster seat, always read the vehicle owner’s manual and the car safety seat manual before installing the seat. Booster seats often have a plastic clip or guide to correctly position vehicle lap and shoulder belts. See the booster seat instruction manual for directions on how to use the clip or guide.

Booster seats must be used with lap and shoulder belts. When using a booster seat, make sure:

The lap belt lies low and snug across your child’s upper thighs.
The shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child’s chest and shoulder and is off the neck.
If your booster seat has lower anchors or tether attachments, check its manual for installation instructions.

How to Use a Booster Seat - Video:

In this video, Benjamin Hoffman, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician and certified car seat technician, guides parents on how to properly use and install booster seats in your vehicle. Booster seats should be used until your child can correctly fit in the adult lap and shoulder seat belts, typically when they are around 4 feet 9 inches in height and 8 to 12 years old.

Common Questions about Booster Seats:

What if my car has only lap belts in the back seat?

Lap belts work fine with rear-facing–only, convertible, and forward-facing seats that have a harness but can never be used with a booster seat. If your car has only lap belts, use a forward-facing seat that has a harness and higher weight limits. You could also

Check to see if shoulder belts can be installed in your vehicle.

Use a travel vest (check the manufacturer's instructions about the use of lap belts only and about the use of lap and shoulder belts).

Consider buying another car with lap and shoulder belts in the back seat.

What is the difference between high-back boosters and backless boosters?

Both types of boosters are designed to raise your child so seat belts fit properly, and both will reduce your child’s risk of injury in a crash. High-back boosters should be used in vehicles without headrests or with low seat backs. Many seats that look like high-back boosters are actually combination seats. They come with harnesses that can be used for smaller children and, later, removed for older children. Backless boosters are usually less expensive and are easier to move from one vehicle to another. Backless boosters can be used safely in vehicles with headrests and high seat backs.

Additional Information from HealthyChildren.org:

Forward-Facing Car Seats for Toddlers & Preschoolers
Car Seats: Product Listing
Seat Belts for Older Children & Adults

Last Updated: 2/28/2021

Source: Adapted from Car Safety Seats Guide (Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

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.

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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How to choose the right car seat for your child? Criterias of choice. Groups of car seats and their features.

If you pay attention to the range of car seats for children, then at first your eyes just run up. The market is so filled with various kinds of products in this area that you can’t help but get confused among the large assortment of possible options. But, if you look more closely, you will notice that some specimens are just a kind of seat, and some are completely inflatable, and one can only speculate about what will happen to this pseudo-seat and subsequently to the passenger if an accident occurs. However, from those models that meet safety standards, in order to make the right choice, you should understand which category the car seat belongs to.

Car child seats are divided into several groups according to age and weight. When choosing a seat, it is important to consider both of these parameters, as well as the height of the child. Moreover, there are options for seats, both for a certain age category, and universal, having a number of customizable parameters when changing weight and height.

Car seats group "0" (from birth to 6 months, weight up to 9 kg, height up to 70 cm) . The infant carrier is designed so that the baby has no load on the spine, because immediately after birth, the newborn has a fragile skeleton and it is very important that he lies in the correct position.

Can be installed on the Isofix base of the corresponding manufacturer.

Group 0 infant carriers are particularly suitable if you have to make many trips from the first months of life. But, alas, this type of chair also has negative sides - the baby is not recommended to stay in the cradle for more than 90 minutes continuously. This is due to the weakness of the child's skeleton and possible excessive stress on the internal organs of the child.

Group "0+" car seats (from birth to 1 year, weight - up to 13 kg, height up to 75 cm)

This type of chair resembles a small basket in its appearance, as it is very compact and equipped with a convenient carrying handle. Armchairs differ from Group "0" in that they have an additional adjustment that allows you to push the cradle and "grow" with the child. In addition to the usual method of fixing with straps, it can be easily installed on the Isofix base against the direction of travel. This position is designed to protect the fragile neck of the baby from damage even with a sudden stop. Most of these cradles are also attractive because they are adapted for strollers, which is very practical when visiting a clinic or a shopping center.

As mentioned earlier, the disadvantage of such cradles is a relatively rounded bed, which after a short period of time can create discomfort for the child. Therefore, the period of being in such a position should not exceed one and a half hours, and then a break is necessary. As practice shows, on average, the infant carrier is used from 6 to 9 months, because children under one year old grow quite intensively.

Group 1 car seats (1-4 years old, weight 9-18 kg, height 75-110 cm)

This seat should be used by children who can already sit normally. The cast bowl of the chair is made mainly of foamed polyurethane, taking into account all the characteristics of the child's body and the characteristics of the child's musculoskeletal system, allowing you to comfortably stay in the car seat for a long time. Such chairs are usually attached in the direction of travel, although there are options with rear attachment in the direction of travel. And there are two options for installing the seat - with the help of a regular car belt and with the help of the Isofix system, which today in many models of this kind of chairs is built into the base-base during manufacture. Fastening a child in such chairs is very reliable, since a small passenger is already sitting and, in a possible emergency, experiences decent loads. Straps are one of the most common options for securing a child. Also, a kind of internal protection of some brands of seats in this group is a safety table, which, according to the results of independent crash tests, shows the highest performance. This is due to the fact that all the impact energy during an accident falls on a regular belt, threaded through a table that acts as a shock absorber. It is easier to secure a child in a car seat with internal belts than a table.

Group 2-3 car seats (ages 3-12, weight 15-36 kg, height 95 to 150 cm)

The main guideline in choosing a group 2-3 car seat is height rather than weight. Car seats belonging to group 2-3 are not equipped with built-in belts (or a safety table) and fastening a small passenger with a seat is done using a car seat belt. An important point when fastening in a car seat with a car belt is that the strap should go along the collarbone and not fall on the neck. Thus, conditions for full protection are created, because in the absence of a car seat at the time of an accident, the diagonal strap of the belt squeezes the neck, and the transverse strap affects the internal organs, causing damage. Side protection in such chairs is usually very developed. The exception is one of the modifications of group 2-3 - the booster. Its task is simply to lift the child for correct fixation with a car belt. Unlike the so-called "other means of protection" that flooded the market, it is the booster that is an adequate device that ensures the correct position of the passenger. But, only with a height of over 145 cm. Before that, the best protection is only a car seat.