Keeping kids in seats beyond the state minimum

U

Unregistered

Guest
My daughter turned eight in April and is riding in the Graco Turbo Booster, which is rated up to 100 lbs. I intend to keep her in it until the weight max. However, Indiana state law requires the child be at least eight years old and I'm starting to get some flack from one family member in particular, which is infuriating (this person has made comments in front of my daughter).

I would love to have some information prepared for the next time she says something. Any links specifically about keeping older kids in car seats would be helpful.
Thanks so much! I love this forum and always do a search here if I have a question about the kids seats.
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Here's what needs to happen for her to ride safely in just an adult seatbelt, which is normally between 10 and 12 years old.

http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

Or you can go and ask this family member to go and google and find you studies, not anecdotes, that shows that a child over eight (who is only one day older than being seven, it's not like there's a lightswitch overnight) is safer without a booster.

Wendy
 

dhardawa

Active member
No real advice, but I'm in Indiana with a child over 8 in a booster too. Her dad gave me a hard time about it saying it was legal now. I bombarded him with the Five Step Test and how she was nowhere near fitting into a seatbelt designed for an adult male and he backed WAY off. He had been saying these things in front of her too so I had to dig out the crash test footage again to show her what happens to kids in crashes and she got right back on board with the whole boostering thing very quickly. :)

Also, good for you for keeping her in a booster past the state minimum. I don't see a lot of kids over 8 in boosters around here.
 

christineka

New member
I've told family that dd isn't ditching the booster until she's too big for it. She's got 2 notches left on the turbobooster.
 

lorinick

New member
No real advice, but I'm in Indiana with a child over 8 in a booster too. Her dad gave me a hard time about it saying it was legal now. I bombarded him with the Five Step Test and how she was nowhere near fitting into a seatbelt designed for an adult male and he backed WAY off. He had been saying these things in front of her too so I had to dig out the crash test footage again to show her what happens to kids in crashes and she got right back on board with the whole boostering thing very quickly. :)

Also, good for you for keeping her in a booster past the state minimum. I don't see a lot of kids over 8 in boosters around here.

My DS just turned eight this month he is still in the booster seat. I too showed him video. He now thinks it's a good idea to stay in the booster seat. I will look again at it in 8mt. when the Turbo booster expires. I'm not sure what I'm going to do at that point. Our youngest is in a Blvd. and has years to stay there.
 

zactayaus

Well-known member
My dd is 10yo old. She is only 4' 5" and only weighs 52lbs. She is still in a highback booster. Recently some family members and friends have asked if I'm ever going to let her ride without the booster because she is well over the 8yo state limit. My answer to them is that she is neither the recommened 80lbs or 4'9" and there is no way that she fits in my Suburban without the booster in any seating position. I also tell them that just because a child turns 8yo doesn't mean they magically fit in the car without a booster. I really wish the laws were more like 10yo and 4'9". I guess I'm just wishful thinking.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
I wish they'd do away with the age limit in laws and just go by size honestly.

Kids come in all sizes - some 8 year olds are literally peanuts and SHOULD still be in a booster, but "It's legal so it must be safe."

If it's not an immediate family member - tell them that YOU will decide when she is big enough, and you'd appreciate them not undermining your choice by making negative comments in front of her.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
To quote Skaterbabs, "Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's safe. It's perfectly legal to purchase and use alcohol and tobacco products while your pregnant, but that doesn't mean it's safe."

I know I'll get flack for keeping my kids RF and in a harness longer and in a booster longer than most...so I'm planning on using that line.

Susan
 

seamonkeys

New member
I also tell them that just because a child turns 8yo doesn't mean they magically fit in the car without a booster.

Kids come in all sizes - some 8 year olds are literally peanuts and SHOULD still be in a booster, but "It's legal so it must be safe."

:yeahthat: Exactly what I was going to say! Why don't people get it? :shrug-shoulders: But I guess it's a similar problem with the "FF after 1 yr and 20 lbs" statement. I think some people think that's the rule, and have to turn them when they hit that mark. They think, "they're 8 now (or they go by the weight or height MINIMUM), so it's time to take away the booster!
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
Just repeat this every time anyone says something "laws vary from state to state, but the laws of physics never change - and until the laws of physics say she can ride without a booster, she will not be allowed to ride without it."
 

mish

New member
My son just turned 8 and is still in a booster. In fact, he was in a lbb and asked for a hbb recently. We let him sit in one and this morning he asked if he could start using his brothers Frontier with the harness. Obviously it doesn't really bother kids to sit in one until people start telling them they shouldn't. This includes their friends. Ryan has friends that tell him he is a baby and looks like a dork. He looks at them and says, "I might look like a dork, but at least I will be alive." That shuts them up quickly.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
I wish they'd do away with the age limit in laws and just go by size honestly.

I wish they would do away with age and size and just go by the 5 step test.

My SIL asked me if she could take my nephew out of a booster. He is 6 and 100+ pounds, and 48 inches. He doesn't fit the belt at all, though, so he is still in the backless booster.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
I think you said it exactly in your post!!!!!
indiana law requires a child be "AT LEAST" 8 years old....8 is the minimum.
Just say you love your child more than the minimum. don't they?
that will shut them up.
 

HEVY

New member
the state law should go by height and weight, not age. Something like 58 inches and at least 100lbs. My dd is in a Regent and will be till she outgrows it regardless of age.
 
My son is 8 and riding in a Britax Monarch. When he has received flak from kids his age or adults pointing out that he may be too big for a booster, his response is that he is in a booster because his parents love him.

On one occasion, I overheard a little boy in his class (who was not in a booster but should have been) ask his parents why they didn't love him enough to put him in a booster. That was a good day. Especially since the next time I saw the little boy being dropped off at school, he was getting out of a Red Racer Monarch, just like my son's. :)
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
the state law should go by height and weight, not age. Something like 58 inches and at least 100lbs. My dd is in a Regent and will be till she outgrows it regardless of age.

why would you say this? All state laws go by age, in my experience. I've never heard of ANY state that did not include age as one of the requirements? Usually age and height. sometimes, but less frequently, weight. Does your state have a law which does not have an age limit?
Here it is 8 or 4'9"
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
MD just changed their law to 8, unless they are 4'9 and 65 pounds. I like it, but wish they'd just drop the years part.
 

HEVY

New member
why would you say this? All state laws go by age, in my experience. I've never heard of ANY state that did not include age as one of the requirements? Usually age and height. sometimes, but less frequently, weight. Does your state have a law which does not have an age limit?
Here it is 8 or 4'9"

I said that because I don't think an 8 year old is safe in a seatbelt just because they turned 8, some are tiny, some are big. So I think the laws should change so height and weight determines when a child should be in a seatbelt. Our law is 8yrs or 80 lbs. You could be 6 yrs and be 80lbs or 8 yrs and 45lbs. My opinion is a child should be 100lbs cause that's the limit on boosters or 4'10" becaue most people that height can pass the 5 steps. It's just an opinion :shrug-shoulders:
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
I said that because I don't think an 8 year old is safe in a seatbelt just because they turned 8, some are tiny, some are big. So I think the laws should change so height and weight determines when a child should be in a seatbelt. Our law is 8yrs or 80 lbs. You could be 6 yrs and be 80lbs or 8 yrs and 45lbs. My opinion is a child should be 100lbs cause that's the limit on boosters or 4'10" becaue most people that height can pass the 5 steps. It's just an opinion :shrug-shoulders:

**facepalm**
i totally misunderstood your post.
My fault.
It's too embarassing to explain. :eek:
 

christineka

New member
I live in a state where it is legal for an 8 year old to be out of a booster. Most 5 year olds are not in seats since that was the old law. Here's my 8 year old in a seat belt.

emilyseat.jpg


Just because it is legal doesn't mean it is safe. Of course, I don't fit any of the seat belts in my van either. My poor kids will be in booster seats forever.
 

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