Debating Moving to a Backless Booster

Heather98012

New member

• May 28, 2012

• #1

Hello everyone! I'm rarely (as in....never) on here anymore but knew this was the place to come with my question. DD is 7 1/2 years old, 54.75" tall, & weighs 70 lbs. She rides in my '05 Tucson in the original Frontier, in my husband's '10 Prius in a Monterey, & in my parents '04 Santa Fe in a Monterey.

She has asked a few times about moving to a backless booster & while I've told her not yet, she has accepted it just fine. However, given her height, weight, & age....I've been kicking the idea of a backless around a bit. Esp. because in my Tucson she cannot buckle herself in without locking the belt up (evey.dang.time) so I have to turn around & buckle her up. No biggie...but my thought was by the beginning of second grade next Sept. it might be nice for her to be able to do it herself (you know how they want to be uber independent).

So....the question is...would you feel comforable with your child riding in those vehicles in a backless given the stats? If I'm hesitating on any ride, it might be the Prius. But maybe I'm missing something & should keep her in the HBBs in all cars. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

creideamh

Well-known member

• May 28, 2012

• #2

As long as she can stay in place, I'd be totally fine with it. I just started letting my cousin (7 in a couple weeks) use the Bubblebum in my Prius. She's a model booster rider, though.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• May 29, 2012

• #3

I can't remember how long it's been since you've been here, Heather, but this newest study on booster safety hasn't been out too too long, and it might make you feel a lot better http://carseatblog.com/8243/to-backless-or-not-to-backless-that-is-the-question/

 

Heather98012

New member

• May 29, 2012

• #4

Thanks, Jools! The last time I was really on here for any length of time I knew there was new thinking that did say that backless was just as safe as a HBB. I read that blog of Darren's & feel better now.

So here's my next question: I forgot to mention she rides outboard in all 3 vehicles. Does that change anyone's opinion? She's a very good rider & RARELY falls asleep in the car (like...it's been over a year since she slept in the car).

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• May 29, 2012

• #5

As long as she has good head support (headrest close to the back of her head, and at least as tall as the tops of her ears) and the cars have reasonably good side impact ratings, I'd make the leap (my 03 doesn't have curtain airbags, so I hang on to a highback as long as possible, even though that study didn't differentiate, it's just my loud-talking mommy gut in charge, lol)

 

TXDani

Senior Community Member

• May 29, 2012

• #6

I would be fine with it...my 7 year old has been in a backless for about 8 months now.

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kater-tot82

New member

• May 29, 2012

• #7

I would be fine with it, as long as there was good belt fit. She is bigger than my 9yo who rides backless and outboard, too.

 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member

• May 29, 2012

• #8

Hi I remember you!!I believe our DD's are the same age. Mine begged and begged and she switched to backless boosters back in September, when she turned 7. She is a tad smaller than yours, just now hitting 60 lbs and 48 inches. We have had only a couple of incidents where she has gotten out of place, mostly when falling asleep unexpectedly. For longer trips where I know sleeping is likely, I will put the back on her turbo for her own comfort.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• May 30, 2012

• #9

I'd be fine with it... like others said, it's all about head support and belt fit.

Ruthie still doesnt' have good belt fit in backless boosters in my dh's car, but does have okay belt fit in one in my 2nd row and really good belt fit in the third row in one, or I'd have let her go backless... and she forgets to sit perfectly straight sometimes on longer trips in one. So it's all about the kid.

 

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bnsnyde

New member

• May 30, 2012

• #10

This must be mommy gut too, I don't know, but I want a shell around them. EPS foam, whatever I can get. So basically any highback with some side-impact protection as long as they possibly fit. I realize the choices are slim but some companies are trying...the new Turbo booster looks awesome! Our spare Vivo seems great (never used it but we have it just in case). And the combo seats typically have some decent seeming side-impact.

 

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tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member

• May 30, 2012

• #11

bnsnyde said:

This must be mommy gut too, I don't know, but I want a shell around them. EPS foam, whatever I can get. So basically any highback with some side-impact protection as long as they possibly fit. I realize the choices are slim but some companies are trying...the new Turbo booster looks awesome! Our spare Vivo seems great (never used it but we have it just in case). And the combo seats typically have some decent seeming side-impact.

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I'm with you. My dd turns 9 next week and I will finally move her to a backless full time. My 7 year old has only ridden backless 1 or 2 times. I much prefer him a high back.

 

bubbaray

New member

• May 30, 2012

• #12

Mommy gut aside ITA with Jools. For a car with decent crash test ratings ad side air bags, statistically there is no reason not to go with a LBB. Having said that both my kids sleep often in the car and my preference is HBB for sleeping.
Boosters are a positioning device, not a true restraint -- they are only intended to position the child so that the belt fits safely.

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bnsnyde

New member

• May 30, 2012

• #13

When I read the accident reports (scary stuff) I almost never read about kids dying in carseats properly used. I know it happens, but car seats are so good; they can protect well even when other people in the car don't make it. I often read about people dying even with seatbelts, so to me I don't just want a safe seatbelt fit, but more. Of course the belt is necessary, but it's not always enough.

So if I could choose, I'd go with high-back and as much side-impact protection as possible.

And I think we got one of the last batch of Civics w/o side-air bags or side-curtain air-bags.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• May 30, 2012

• #14

bnsnyde said:

When I read the accident reports (scary stuff) I almost never read about kids dying in carseats properly used. I know it happens, but car seats are so good; they can protect well even when other people in the car don't make it. I often read about people dying even with seatbelts, so to me I don't just want a safe seatbelt fit, but more. Of course the belt is necessary, but it's not always enough.
(

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But keep in mind that people using seatbelts are a lot more common than kids in car seats, so of course more people die in belts than in car seats: there are more of them. People also SURVIVE crashes in seat belts all the time.

Boosters with high backs and side impact protection are probably great in crash tests or rare occasions when a car is hit from the side at a stop. Usually, even in a side impact, there is forward motion and a good chance that the child's head will be thrown forward of whatever wings are there.