Good web site with good information

G

Gina's mom

Guest
I think this web site is helpful to the general population. I have a different problem that this site doesn't address. My 7 yr old is 4 ft 9 inches tall and 80 lbs. That meets the law for Illinois where we live for size requirements, but the age requirement is age 8. So, what do I do? It is my understanding that the children are not as saft if they are in child restraints too long due to being too large. Any insight?

Gina's mom
 
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lovinwaves

New member
I think this web site is helpful to the general population. I have a different problem that this site doesn't address. My 7 yr old is 4 ft 9 inches tall and 80 lbs. That meets the law for Illinois where we live for size requirements, but the age requirement is age 8. So, what do I do? It is my understanding that the children are not as saft if they are in child restraints too long due to being too large. Any insight?

Gina's mom

Just speaking for Britax carseats here, but he would fit in the Parkway, or Monarch. They both go to 60 inches and 100 lbs. Well, the law is the law so I guess you have to put him in a booster???

Hope this helps ya :)
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
So, what do I do? It is my understanding that the children are not as saft if they are in child restraints too long due to being too large.


That's partially right, and partially wrong. It is not safe to use a seat past it's stated maximum limits. However, if the restraint still fits, the child is safer using it.

The bones don't really fuly mature until a child is older, so while they may be "legal" without a seat, a properly fitting booster is safer than depending on the child's relatively soft bones (specifically hips) to absorb crash forces.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Gina's Mom,

Just for your info, I copied this off of one of the other posts tonight. I don't know if you have seen this yet or not, but I just thought I was pass it along to you.

Keep child in a BPB after they have outgrown high/weight limit of
harness, until they fit the vehicle seat. 5 things are required for a
child to fit the vehicle seat BEFORE they no longer need a BPB.
1. child can sit all the way back in the seat
2. child's knees comfortably bend at the seat's edge
3. lap belt falls across upper thigh/lower hip NOT tummy
4. shoulder belt falls across the middle of the chest and shoulder
5. child has the self-control to remain still and stay put
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
This is copied from my page on the 5 Step Test:



BOOSTER SEATS & the "5 STEP TEST"

Safety belts are designed to fit the average adult male. Women and children (especially in older vehicles) simply do not fit. While there is little that can be done for adults (we’re still working on boosters to fit grownups who might want them LOL) belt positioning boosters make that adult belt fit your child.

Keep children in booster seats until they pass the "5 Step Test" at about 10-12 years old and over 5 feet tall or meet the 5 Step Test in every vehicle in which the child rides. If the child meets the 5 Step Test in one vehicle, but not another, the child will need a booster for every vehicle in which the 5 Step Test is not met.

In order to work properly, a shoulder belt needs to be across the collarbone and the lap belt needs to be on the hipbones. However, children often slip the shoulder belt under their arm or behind their back, losing all upper-body protection. Or, they slide forward so their knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat, making the lap belt ride up on the abdomen. In these cases, the seat belt CANNOT work properly! Children can slide down and out of the restraint, or the belt can be forced into the stomach, causing damage to internal organs. These types of injuries are known as "seat-belt syndrome."

However, some children should NOT be in boosters.

Children under 40 pounds and under the age of four should remain in a 5 point harness at all times.

A booster does not restrain the child the way the harness does, it simply "boosts" the child up in order to make the adult-sized belt safely fit a child-sized body. Children under age 4 do not possess the ability to sit perfectly at all times, and a child who leans forward to retrieve a cup or toy, or who twists around to see something or someone behind them, will not be protected in a crash and is at risk for serious injuries and possibly death.


The 5 Step Test

If you answer "No" to any of these questions, your child must be in a booster seat:
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Is the lap belt touching the top of the thighs, not the tummy?
4. Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER:
- Used to raise child up and correctly position the car's seatbelt on the child's body.
- CAN NOT be used with only a lap belt!
(See your car dealer for a lap/shoulder belt retrofit.)

So what booster is best for your child?

That is a complex question with no hard and fast answers. The best booster for your child is the one that fits your child, your vehicle, your budget and that you will use correctly each and every time. Some boosters (like other car seats) are outgrown early by height, others can be tricky to use properly. Others are very expensive.

DO NOT use a shield booster. These are VERY dangerous and should never be used. For more information, see: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/shieldbooster.aspx

QUOTE:
Shield Boosters provide little or no upper-body protection. In many cases, the children who are injured or killed in these either:

Get flung too far forward, resulting in serious head or spinal injuries or
Submarine UNDER the shield and have spinal/neck injuries or are actually decapitated.
There are also unfortunate cases where children are thrown OUT in a side-impact or rollover collision.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS:

For children under age 4, and under 40 pounds, use a "COMBINATION BOOSTER". This is a seat which has an integrated five-point harness which can be removed once the child outgrows it, and the seat can then be used as a belt-positioning booster at that time. This will NOT be the last seat your child needs, as the current models are typically outgrown by height (tips of ears above the shell of the seat) well before the 5 Step Test (above) is passed. However, at that point in time, if your vehicle has high seat backs or adjustable head restraints (aka "head rests"), an inexpensive backless booster may be an option for you.

If your child is above age 4, and weighs more than 40 pounds, a "HIGH-BACK BOOSTER" is a good choice. Some models are shorter than others, some are wider. Some fit well in small seats, others do not fit well in conjunction with other child restraints. Be aware that should you choose a shorter booster, you may need to purchase another booster later because your child outgrows it by height (tips of ears above the shell of the seat, OR shoulders at/above the seatbelt guidance mechanism).

Some boosters function as both high back boosters and "BACKLESS BOOSTERS". If you choose a booster with this configuration, and the booster is outgrown by height as a high-back booster, some manufacturers permit you to remove the back and use the booster as a backless as long as proper head support is available in your vehicle.


Whichever type of booster you purchse, whichever brand you buy, use it every ride and every time. Don't prematurely evict your child from the booster. Explain to them in as much detail as necessary why they must use a booster, even if their friends do not.
 

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