Question When are we done with the booster?

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hello!

I'm inquiring about the booster requirements for my eldest child. She's 11, 58.1 lbs and 55 3/4" tall (27" seated). She's currently in a Britax Parkway SG. She's been asked more an more on different outings, and we just pop her booster into her friends parents vehicles, but wouldn't mind if we could forgo it, either. I'm not in any huge hurry or anything, just curious at what point she's safe in just the seat belt?

TIA
 
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Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Kids can safely ride in just the seat belt when they pass the 5 step test -- and note that they may not pass in every vehicle at the same time. Having a backless booster handy is a good idea until you're sure. At her height she may not quite yet, as 4'9" (57") is about when kids do.

If you can answer yes to these she can safely ride without a booster:

1. Can she sit with her back against the seat back?

2. While doing so do her knees bend comfortably at the edge of the vehicle seat, with feet touching floor? (not bending naturally will cause slouching, which will cause the lap belt to ride up)

3. While doing so, does the shoulder belt hit at the middle of her collarbone, touching her chest?

4. ...and does the lap belt sit low and touching her thighs, making contact with her hip bones?

5. And can she ride like that the whole trip?
 

Adventuredad

New member
The 57 inch guideline is actually a good general guideline. In Europe laws require booster use to 135 or 150 cm (53-59 inches) as a comparison. There are of course many kids who don't sit nearly that long in a high back or low back booster.

At age 11 your child is likely safer in a low back booster. This has to to do with the unfortunate larger sizes of todays high back boosters. These are placing the children higher up and more forward due to larger and thicker head supports. We have some good research by Jakobsson and real life experiences showing this. We also have nice research by Arbogast at CHOP, studying US crash data, showing low back boosters providing the same safety as high back boosters.

A good general guideline is to use a high back booster from ages 4-6 years or perhaps a bit longer. Preferably also longer rear facing time than age four due to the huge safety difference.

All forward facing seats, including harnessed seats, do basically lack any protection for collisions from the side. That does of course also include usage of seat belt only. This is due to forward momentum and pre-impact braking.

The main reason to keep using the low back or high back booster is to lift the child higher off the vehicle seat. The iliac hip bones are round and small which makes submarining likely in a frontal collision. As the children reach 10+ years this is less of a problem but still an issue.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
My son is 11.5 and I would guess he is at least 57 inches. He is so close to passing that 5 step test a previous poster wrote out above.

He is currently riding in a no back booster and has been for a couple years now. In one car, I think if we were to take away the booster, he'd fit without it but I just noticed this the other day and haven't had a chance to check him without it.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
At age 11 your child is likely safer in a low back booster. This has to to do with the unfortunate larger sizes of todays high back boosters. These are placing the children higher up and more forward due to larger and thicker head supports. We have some good research by Jakobsson and real life experiences showing this. We also have nice research by Arbogast at CHOP, studying US crash data, showing low back boosters providing the same safety as high back boosters.

.

She's in a Britax Parkway SG, behind the drivers seat, in a Dodge Grand Caravan. She doesn't appear to be sitting too far forward...should I still remove the back?
 

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
She's in a Britax Parkway SG, behind the drivers seat, in a Dodge Grand Caravan. She doesn't appear to be sitting too far forward...should I still remove the back?

Not unless she has outgrown it, or would prefer not to use it. Most kids at that age don't want a high back anymore, but if the belt fit is good and she likes the head support for sleeping there's nothing wrong with continuing to use it.
 

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