Help me decide! Older child- which seat?

lamazemama · Aug 13, 2012

My 10 year old (59 lbs) is currently in a Britax Frontier (5 pt). He really wants a booster.

I keep reading conflicting answers to this question: is he safer in the 5 pt or in a booster at this age?

Also, do the high back boosters perform better?

We have an older Ford Windstar minivan with no side-impact air bags.

Thanks in advance!

carseatcoach · Aug 13, 2012

A physically and developmentally typical 10yo is quite safe in a booster. There is no evidence that a properly used booster is safer than a properly used harnessed seat. Almost all typical 10yos can use boosters properly.

Normally, I'd be fine with a backless booster for a 10yo (my own 10yo is in a backless booster), but I generally don't like to see kids going straight from harnessed seats to backless boosters. It's a big change. I'd use the Frontier as a booster for a few months and then switch to a backless if you and he prefer it.

Brigala · Aug 13, 2012

There are conflicting theories as to which one is "safer" at his age. But we do know that a booster offers quite a lot of protection, and for a developmentally typical 10 year old who will use a booster correctly, I would not require the child to use a harness if that's not what the child wanted.

Kat_Momof3 · Aug 13, 2012

if he'll stay properly in it and all that, there's no statistics for us to know if one is safer over the other.

I'd convert the frontier to a booster... it makes a great one (one of the tallest) and I'd prefer a high back since there are no side curtain airbags.

Help me decide! Older child- which seat?

lamazemama

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carseatcoach

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Kat_Momof3

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