StillThankful
New member
Like most moms as a 1st time booster, I've researched on whether to booster DD1 who is now 5, 44.5" and 44 #. She's been begging to booster for a while and this past week, I purchased an Evenflo Big Kid HBB for her on sale. Well, she LOVES it! The fit is great for both her and the vehicle. She sits still in it and is mature enough to be in a booster.
My concern (and I know it's an ongoing debate on this forum) on whether it's as safe as harnessing.
Then, while researching boosters, I came across this on Consumer Reports: Emphasis added by me
Keeping kids harnessed longer
Like the latest infant and convertible seats that allow larger children to remain rear-facing longer for safety reasons, the newest models of combination/toddler-booster seats allow larger kids to stay in a five-point harness longer (rather than their moving on to the vehicle's three-point safety belt). That's because some models of toddler booster now have harnesses that can secure higher-weight children (those weighing more than 40 lbs.). Children are safer when using the full five-point harness in a forward-facing seat, as the harness spreads the crash forces more evenly over the child's body and better retains the child in a crash than the three-point seat belts installed in vehicles. Now parents may not have to make that transition quite so soon. The newest models of toddler-booster seats now have harness limits of 65 lbs. or more. Previously, most toddler-booster models had harness limits of 40 lbs. Our latest toddler booster seat Ratings (available to subscribers) are for seats in both categories—seats with harness weight ratings of 40 lbs., and seats with harness weight ratings greater than 40 lbs. All of the models we tested convert to belt-positioning booster car seats.
Safety first
Don't be in a rush to transition your child to the next child seat type. Each step forward may actually prove to be a step backward in terms of overall safety.
A rear-facing child restraint is safer overall than a forward-facing restraint.
A harnessed forward-facing child restraint is safer overall than a booster seat.
A booster seat used to position a vehicle's belt across a child's body is safer overall than using vehicle belts alone until a child is about 4 feet 9 inches tall and can fit the vehicle's seat and belt correctly, and remain that way for the duration of the trip.
Those findings by CR make my stomach turn into knots.
My concern (and I know it's an ongoing debate on this forum) on whether it's as safe as harnessing.
Then, while researching boosters, I came across this on Consumer Reports: Emphasis added by me
Keeping kids harnessed longer
Like the latest infant and convertible seats that allow larger children to remain rear-facing longer for safety reasons, the newest models of combination/toddler-booster seats allow larger kids to stay in a five-point harness longer (rather than their moving on to the vehicle's three-point safety belt). That's because some models of toddler booster now have harnesses that can secure higher-weight children (those weighing more than 40 lbs.). Children are safer when using the full five-point harness in a forward-facing seat, as the harness spreads the crash forces more evenly over the child's body and better retains the child in a crash than the three-point seat belts installed in vehicles. Now parents may not have to make that transition quite so soon. The newest models of toddler-booster seats now have harness limits of 65 lbs. or more. Previously, most toddler-booster models had harness limits of 40 lbs. Our latest toddler booster seat Ratings (available to subscribers) are for seats in both categories—seats with harness weight ratings of 40 lbs., and seats with harness weight ratings greater than 40 lbs. All of the models we tested convert to belt-positioning booster car seats.
Safety first
Don't be in a rush to transition your child to the next child seat type. Each step forward may actually prove to be a step backward in terms of overall safety.
A rear-facing child restraint is safer overall than a forward-facing restraint.
A harnessed forward-facing child restraint is safer overall than a booster seat.
A booster seat used to position a vehicle's belt across a child's body is safer overall than using vehicle belts alone until a child is about 4 feet 9 inches tall and can fit the vehicle's seat and belt correctly, and remain that way for the duration of the trip.
Those findings by CR make my stomach turn into knots.