Question those with older children

5 step test pass test

  • 8 years

    Votes: 4 14.3%
  • 9 years

    Votes: 5 17.9%
  • 10 years

    Votes: 5 17.9%
  • 11 years or older

    Votes: 17 60.7%

  • Total voters
    28
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Mysweethoneybee

New member
My two older kids both passed at 8 years, but my kids are super tall types. Although technically at 17 and 13 neither stays in position all the time. They are both 200lbs and in the 6 foot range now. At 8 they were 5 foot and 100+lbs. The neighbor kid is 8 and while he rides in nothing in his car he is only about as tall as my 4 year old and wouldn't five step for probably several years.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
My kids have 5 stepped in some cats at 7, in most cars at 9, and are completely out of boosters by 11. They are super tall though and are over 5 ft at about 10.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I have a 9yo who is not even close in either of our vehicles (Kia Optima and Saturn Vue). She is kinda sorta almost there, as in I wouldn't panic during a zombie attack, in the center of a 2001 Subaru Legacy wagon -- the infamous Subaru hump sort of acts like a booster.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
I can't vote, because I have no idea. I didn't know about the 5-step test back then. I boostered them until age 8 or 80 lbs which was the law at the time (and I was the only person I knew who even paid attention to the law so that was a lot). I think YDS was over 80 lbs and under age 8, and ODS was over 8 but under 80 lbs. YDS may have 5-stepped at the time (he was huge for his age) but ODS probably didn't. I made YDS stay in the booster until ODS turned 8 because even though he was over 80 lbs I couldn't bring myself to let the younger brother out of a booster before the older one.
 

sirrahn

Active member
DS1 stopped using his booster a couple of months after he turned 12. My younger DS is much longer legged and fit properly not long after he turned 11.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Piper will be older than 11. She's ridden without a booster, and she knows to keep her bum back and the lap belt low but she can't stay that way long, her knees don't bend, and the lap belt is a little high.

Wendy
 

mominabigtruck

New member
My 9yo and almost 6yo can 5 step in the volvo. I've never tried them in the van though, my 9yo has a really short torso so I doubt it in there.
Posted via Mobile Device
 

Jillybeans5

Active member
My older 2 both 5 stepped at 8( DS at a young 8, DD at 8.5) although I let my oldest stop using a booster a few months earlier, because at the time I thought he was close enough and no other kids used a booster. They are both really tall kids. Oldest is 6' at 13 and DD is 5'4" at 11.
 

Jillybeans5

Active member
Just wanted to add that my middle DS is almost 7.5 and has probably 2-3 more years before he will even come close to 5 stepping. I think DS3 (5yrs) will be about the same, and DS4 is still a bit young to guess.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Damian passed at 8, Jeffrey passes in ALMOST every car (dh's 2 door cobalt has some seriously scooped out seats so that tall people can sit back there and have their head touch the ceiling or lack in leg support) at age 10

Ruthie (who I didn't vote on, but I guess I could have) is not predicted to be 4'9" (when they usually pass in my van and most vehicles) until 13.
 

smileybrea

CPS Technician
My just turned 8 yr old doesn't (63lbs and 50"). He was close in the center of my Dodge Charger because of the hump but no head support. He's tall enough to ride without the back some cars and is close to 5 stepping in my brother's silverado. Nowhere near in any other vehicle though.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
When the boys were younger, i wasn't as *into* car safety, so once they maxxed out our states laws, (at the time, 4th birthday, we didn't have a booster law yet!)they went into regular seat belts. But, I can say that when I went back to look at re boostering at age 10-11, they were too big.
 

ConnorsMommy

New member
My son is only 4 so nowhere near that point yet but a friends son that I cared for this summer passed the 5 step test in my van at 9 years old. He grew a lot during the summer, but was/is around 5 feet and 120-140 lbs. I barely pass the 5 step test in some vehicles at 5'1" and 105 lbs (pre-pregnancy- now I'm up to 120 or so) so I tell my son that when he's over 8 years old and almost as tall as me, he doesn't have to use a car seat/booster anymore.
 

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