At what age would you stop using a HBB?

[dodgewoman]

My DD is 8 soon to be 8 1/2. She's TINY. About 47lbs. and 48" I still have her in the highback booster. She has asked me many times when she can ride with out the back but I feel SO much safer with it on. I'm scared to have her riding with no protection. Most of her friends are not even in any sort of seat anymore. I can't even fathom that! Not sure when, if ever I'll be ready for my tiny kids to ride with just the seat belt. At her age and weight, what's best, the back still on or not?

 

[MaKoski]

Keep the back on till you feel comfortable about removing it, or untill she out grows it. We were at walmart tonight and my 5yr old sayed she thought she'd start useing a HBB when she is 7 or 8... she is in a Frontier85..so she's about right.

 

[Baylor]

Can she 5 step? Thats the first step to moving towards no booster. If she can't there is no discussion. It is not safe for her not to be in a booster.

auto correct hates me

 

[Brigala]

I would probably feel pretty comfortable with an 8 year old using a no-back booster assuming the seat belt still fits her correctly without the back.

If it were my child and she were asking to use the booster without the back I would try her out for fit. If she kept still and kept the seat belt over her properly and the belt fit her properly and stayed nicely against her chest, I would let her use the no-back for every day use. I believe it's important for children to feel good about car safety, although of course the "safety" takes priority over the "feel good" (so I wouldn't be letting her ride without a booster entirely).

I would probably insist that she use the high-back for longer trips where she might be tempted to fall asleep or slouch from fatigue.

 

[wendytthomas]

The five step has nothing to do with when to remove the back. You can go ahead and remove it. Studies have shown that a backless is remarkably safe, there are no standards for side impact with boosters (or carseats), and she still has an eight year old skeleton, even if she's light.

Wendy

 

[Baylor]

The five step has nothing to do with when to remove the back. You can go ahead and remove it. Studies have shown that a backless is remarkably safe, there are no standards for side impact with boosters (or carseats), and she still has an eight year old skeleton, even if she's light.

Wendy

Thanks Wendy. I misread. I thought she meant removing the hbb as a whole.

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[Kat_Momof3]

I agree... it all has to do with belt fit. I've been letting Ruthie use the harmony backless in her dad's car recently, as she asked and the belt fit was fine, but her narrow shoulders and slim body make it very hard for the belt to STAY there unless she's really still and sitting perfectly upright (no settling) or the belt drifts to where it's OKAY, but not what I like.

I'm switching her evenflo highback back in there today. She just needs more time. Ironically, she's fine with it because the evenflo is so much easier to buckle.

In our van, she has a Recaro Probooster, but because of how VERY tall Damian is combined with her and Jeffrey wanting to be together all the time, I will probably see how she fits in a backless there when I get the evenflo booster I won for taking the email survey (boy was I surprised, but timing is great, as the harmony backless does not work in my van with the seatbelts)... but that's only because neither highback will fit in the third row and Damian HAS to be in the 2nd row for proper head support.

If she doesn't fit well backless, she'll just have to sit next to Damian and he'll need earplugs.



It also depends how easily they fall asleep on the car on longer trips or near bedtime. The boys at this age still did drift off and Jeffrey was one who needed the headrest as long as possible to help support that head. Ruthie just doesn't sleep in the car much, but when she does, it's in the van, and obviously I can pop the highback in for those times if she would otherwise ride in the third row and the belt fit there with a backless is good.

 

[dodgewoman]

Thanks for the replies!

Good point about the 8 year old skeleton even though she is small. I def. think she would be ready for the no back as she follows rules very well but would need the back for our 2 hours trips to NH frequently. I'll have to let her try it out on the way to girl scouts tomorrow to see how comfortable we both are with it A bunch of her friends are completely out of boosters but she knows full well that we are NOT even close to that point yet so I think this is her compromise

 

[dodgewoman]

OH and can someone point me to the 5 step steps. Just for reference when we are ready....

 

[christineka]

For me and my kids, it's high back until outgrown or age 12. My 12 year old just went to a backless, but still rides in the high back on occasion. (It's more comfortable.)

 

[bobandjess99]

MY 7 yo is in a backless. I have a back i can put on for long trips. She is about the same height as your 8.5 year old, and a smidge heavier. The belt fit is what is important, and the belt fits her just as well without the back than with it. Our vehicles also have side air bags.

 

[carseatcoach]

Can she 5 step? Thats the first step to moving towards no booster. If she can't there is no discussion. It is not safe for her not to be in a booster.

auto correct hates me

5-stepping is the test to be out of a booster altogether, not to be in a backless.

I "let" my daughter go backless at 9.25.

 

[Baylor]

http://carseatblog.com/3966/the-5-step-test/

Here is link to 5 step test.

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[carseatcoach]

I know what the 5-step test is. It is to determine whether a child can ride safely in the adult seatbelt alone. It has nothing to do with whether a child can ride in a backless booster instead of a HBB, which is what the OP is asking.

If the shoulder belt fits well and there is adequate head support, I think a backless is an appropriate choice for a typical 8.5yo.

 

[Baylor]

I know what the 5-step test is. It is to determine whether a child can ride safely in the adult seatbelt alone. It has nothing to do with whether a child can ride in a backless booster instead of a HBB, which is what the OP is asking.

If the shoulder belt fits well and there is adequate head support, I think a backless is an appropriate choice for a typical 8.5yo.

If you would take a minute and go back and read you would see that I already saw my mistake and thanked Wendy for pointing it out to me. The OP asked what 5 step test was for when the time comes.

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[luckyclov]

DS2 is 9 years old. He's 53" and 70 lbs. He still prefers to be in a HBB, so in my vehicle, the vehicle he's in most of the time, he is. He recently outgrew his HBB that was in DH's truck and rather than buy another HBB (he's outgrown all but two), I replaced it with a backless.

It varies per kid and vehicle. All issues favorable (seatbelt fit, head support, child's maturity), I wouldn't really have an issue with a "responsible" 7/8 year old in a backless, if they had been riding (properly) in a HBB for awhile.

In order to be "ready" for an adult seatbelt, your child should (in addition to the legal bare minimum age/height):

Have adequate vehicle head support - either the vehicle seat or headrest/restraint to, minimally, the tops of the child's ears.

Be able to sit all the way back, and upright, without slouching, on the vehicle seat, and have their knees bend comfortably over the seat edge. And remain that way the entire ride.

Lap belt should rest across the bony hip/upper lap/thigh and not make contact with soft abdomen.

Shoulder belt should rest centered across the shoulder and chest.

 

[dodgewoman]

Wow, I don't think I pass the 5 step test in all vehicles

 

[carseatcoach]

Presumably you're past puberty, though, which means your hip bones are harder and sharper and can help hold the lap belt down.

 

[dodgewoman]

Good point, lol

 

[Kat_Momof3]

and, as an adult, you have the self-control not to pull the belt under your arm or throw it behind your back if the shoulderbelt rubs your neck.