When is a kid "OK" to be in a booster with 3-point belt?

CRS · Apr 30, 2007

Posting this in Coffee Break as I know for some people it may be more a matter of opinion (personal) then anything else. At what age is a kid perfectly safe to sit in a decent booster with a three point belt, no harness. This is assuming the kid is responsible enough to sit still during the whole journey and you don't have any access to any high weight harnessing seats. I guess what I'm saying is, physical maturity wise.

trailrunnermom · Apr 30, 2007

I voted 6 for full-time booster use, given the criteria listed. My DS, who turns 6 in June, will continue to ride in his Husky 95% of the time, but he does ride in a booster in our 2nd car (he sits properly, and this is not used for long trips, so he's not sleeping in the booster.)

But given that not everyone can afford HWH seats, I think 4 yrs/40 lbs is a relatively safe guideline. (Unfortunately the manufacturers seem to say 3 yrs/30 lbs.)

chaoticoctopus · Apr 30, 2007

I voted 6 because, well, although most of my kids *were* in boosters at age 3.5-4, knowing what I know now, I'm quite sure they weren't *ready* for it until closer to 5-6 years old. I would actually say 5, but not 4, so I didn't vote for the first option for that reason.

Glad that my current 5 y/o is in a HWH seat, and my 3 y/o won't sit in a booster for several years yet!

scatterbunny · Apr 30, 2007

Well, after reading just the title (when is a kid "ok" to be in a booster) I was going to say 4 years old and 40 pounds...but given the extra criteria in the OP, I said 6.

skaterbabs · Apr 30, 2007

I pretty much agree with everyone else. Ideally, all kids will be harnessed at least to their 6th birthday. (In a future world, perhaps that will be the case.) But realistically, there are so few seats that will get all kids past age 4 and 40 lbs that I'm not uncomfortable telling a parent that their 4 yo, 41 lb child is ok in a booster. Would I rather see that child in a harness? yep. But if it's a low income family with anolder car with no head rests and two + other kids, there are very few available options.

Gypsy · Apr 30, 2007

I wasn't ok letting my dd ride in a booster until 6, I realize not everyone has the same resources and access to HWH seats that I do. I said 4-5 because in our area it would be a miracle for all the kids to wait that long to be out of a harnessed seat.

CRS · Apr 30, 2007

very interesting!

twokidstwodogs · Apr 30, 2007

Hmm, I think this is really hard to answer. I put DD#1 in a booster at 4, but she was (a) 43 inches and 45 pounds and (b) very, very good about sitting properly. She also never falls asleep in the car. Given her size and maturity, I had no problem with it. I thought a Regent was overkill for her. But I know *lots* of kids her age that have no business in a booster, regardless of their size.

With the way you phrased the question, though, I'd have to say 4-5, because if the parent has no access to higher-weight seats, that means the choice is between a booster and what is almost certainly an outgrown harnessed seat. I'd definitely vote for the booster in that circumstance.

scatterbunny · Apr 30, 2007

CRS said:
This is assuming the kid is responsible enough to sit still during the whole journey

That part is what makes me say age 6. I just do not believe most 4-5yos are mature enough to sit still the entire time, especially on longer trips.

CRS said:
and you don't have any access to any high weight harnessing seats.

That part is what will make most people say 4-5yo, because most kids will be 40 pounds by that age.

CRS said:
I guess what I'm saying is, physical maturity wise.

40 pounds should be the minimum; lots of kids hit that at 3 years old, and no 3yo should be in a booster, IMO (though I'm a bit hypocritical, since I did put my dd in a booster for short trips in her dad's truck at 3y9mo, and about 41-42 pounds

). That's why emotional maturity is so much more important than physical maturity when it comes to using a booster (as long as the child is at least 40 pounds).

This is why higher weight limit seats are so important! I hope the trend continues and we start seeing more and more HWH seats. I can't wait until the Evenflo Triumph, new and improved, debuts...and I can't wait until the Recaro Signo and Como appear!

CDNTech · Apr 30, 2007

I said 6... but I also think we have it easier here in Canada. All of our combo seats (and 2 convertibles) go up to 47/48lbs, so I think there is no excuse for having a child under these weight limits in a booster. Edited to add: Unless they're super lightweight, tall, long torsoed kids like my ds. He'll be lucky to make it to 40lbs before he outgrows his seat by height!

Aiden is 5 now and still will not sit still in a booster for even a two minute trip to school. He is also a car sleeper on long trips, so a booster is totally out for the next few years. All of this does not even take into account that he only weighs 35lbs and the legal limit for a booster in Canada is 40lbs.

CRS · Apr 30, 2007

scatterbunny said:
40 pounds should be the minimum; lots of kids hit that at 3 years old, and no 3yo should be in a booster, IMO

Heh you try telling that to most of the people I correspond to, it's like banging your head against a brick wall IYKWIM? lol. Had a lady the other day, stopped her, talked to her, had her 2 and a bit year old in the front seat, no seat, just the three point belt (using the lap portion) got incredibly snotty "I'M ONLY GOING DOWN THE ROAD!" *shakes head*

CRS · Apr 30, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
the legal limit for a booster in Canada is 40lbs.

wow really? they have to be 40lbs to go in to a booster? That's marvellous! Wish we had that here!

CDNTech · Apr 30, 2007

CRS said:
wow really? they have to be 40lbs to go in to a booster? That's marvellous! Wish we had that here!

Yep... 40lbs to be in a booster. Now the only problem is convincing parents (and law enforcement) that they need to follow the law!

I would say the majority of Aiden's pre-school classmates are in boosters. I think 1 or 2 may still be harnessed. Most of these kids might be 40lbs soaking wet!

Victorious4 · Apr 30, 2007

& the kid will only die or become brain damaged or paralyzed or suffer life long seizures WHEN someone else crashes into you....
*SIGH*

"OK" to use a booster = when they can do so correctly. I won't say less than 4, but even many 8 year olds need some serious work on sitting still, so ideally, IMO, after outgrowing the highest extended harness seat

But, life is rarely ideal -- Leila rides in boosters because it's actually safer since her grandparents cannot always use harnesses correctly due to medical reasons.

CDNTech · Apr 30, 2007

papooses said:
Leila rides in boosters because it's actually safer since her grandparents cannot always use harnesses correctly due to medical reasons.

This is why (on the rare occasion) Aiden rides in the spare Parkway. I have friends that just can not figure out how to tighten a harness properly!

It's also one of the reasons I loved my Triumph when we had it... memory harness made it impossible for people to change the tightness setting - no one could figure out how to loosen it :evil grin:

Jewels · Apr 30, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
It's also one of the reasons I loved my Triumph when we had it... memory harness made it impossible for people to change the tightness setting - no one could figure out how to loosen it :evil grin:

That would be a nice feature! Is the new Triumph have this feature? Also does anyone know if the new Triumph be available in Canada?

Kellyr2 · May 1, 2007

I said 4, because my ds DID sit properly in his booster when he used one. But it's really going to vary from kid to kid.

twokidstwodogs · May 1, 2007

Of course, given how many 4-8 year olds I see at the drop-off for my kids' school who aren't even in *seatbelts*, this debate is probably beside the point.

Get a load of what I saw the other day. A mom was driving a van through the parking lot to drop off her son. Low speed, but lots of kids and parents in the parking lot. The boy was *standing* between the front bucket seats and the mother was *turning around* to give him a kiss goodbye. Yes, while she was driving.

supercrunch · May 1, 2007

I think it depends a lot on the kid...both build and temperment.

My 6yo dd has always been the type to follow rules and not try to "get away with" anything. She sits well in a booster and knows where the seatbelt needs to lie. She also tells me when something is twisted or not sitting right.

That being said, she is one of those kids that still loves to fall asleep in the car, and she is only 39 lbs fully clothed. So were are ordering a Radian for her. When she is in the turbo, on more than one occasion I have seen her flop to the side out of the seat towards the middle of the car. When we make it back into a booster, I think we will need the head and body wings of the parkway to help keep her in place.

joolsplus3 · May 1, 2007

CRS said:
Posting this in Coffee Break as I know for some people it may be more a matter of opinion (personal) then anything else. At what age is a kid perfectly safe to sit in a decent booster with a three point belt, no harness. This is assuming the kid is responsible enough to sit still during the whole journey and you don't have any access to any high weight harnessing seats. I guess what I'm saying is, physical maturity wise.

I wish I had a choice between 4 and 5... I'd vote 5, but 4 is good for most average (ie, not carseat obsessed) folks...but I prefer to tell them 5, from a head injury statistic standpoint (the Volvo 1989 study that showed head injuries quite high from 2-4 in boosters).

MY kid won't be in a booster till 6 (anyone care to hold me accountable for this? Think I can do it? I hope I can! It's my goal...

)

When is a kid "OK" to be in a booster with 3-point belt?

When is a kid "OK" to be in a booster with 3-point belt?

4-5

6

7

8

Senior Community Member

New member

Member

New member

Well-known member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

New member

Admin - CPS Technician

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics