Booster benefits?

[AKFamily]

I am wondering if here are benefits to a booster if a child is tall enough that the seatbelt fits appropriately (per guidelines on this site)?

 

[joolsplus3]

Welcome, sorry for the delay in getting to you!
No, I don't think there really is a benefit to using a booster too long, UNLESS the child needs the support and reminders to sit properly (like, the headwings can keep very sleepy/relaxed kiddos from leaning on the window, which can be a deadly place to be in a crash, especially if they are under a deploying curtain airbag in a crash).
I kept my kiddos in boosters a little taller than they technically needed, because years ago there had been a study that showed highbacks offered substantial head protection in side impacts. But newer studies have not found that result.
I find the two most important factors for kids fitting in seatbelts right is that their feet are flat on the floor and they can sit properly for the whole ride. When they are slouching or leaning, the lapbelt rides up on the abdomen. There are some days I'd like to put my 130 lb, 5-6" 13 year old back in a booster, because she's always leaning all over the place and her belt rides up! (She's actually been out of boosters since about 9 in one car, and 11 in the other, just depends on the size of the seat so she could sit properly with reminders).

 

[snowbird25ca]

I've moved your question to car seat chat. You will probably get some more responses to your question here.

 

[AKFamily]

Thanks for the reply - I'm finally registering on the site after benefiting from it for years, it is such a great resource!

Any idea if the studies showing no benefit from boosters with head wings are in cars with side impact airbags? We have older vehicles that don't have that type of airbag.

We don't spend a whole lot of time in the car so concerns about long times, sleeping etc. are less of an issue for us right now. DS sits still in the car but then again he's in a 5 pt harness so there's not really any other way to sit unleashed it might be a very different story.

I'd be interested in other opinions about any benefits to a booster for a tall enough kid - thanks!

 

[joolsplus3]

So here's a blog I wrote.... http://carseatblog.com/5671/too-old-for-a-booster-says-who/

And then this study came out.... http://carseatblog.com/8243/to-backless-or-not-to-backless-that-is-the-question/

My mommy gut still prefers a highback for cars without curtain airbags and/or lousy head support, but maybe not to the extent it did before (My kids are 15, 13, and 7, I've been hoping to get a newer car ever since kiddo 1 was too tall for his Frontier, but I've had to relax quite a bit now that only kiddo 3 still fits in a seat and the oldest ones refuse to sit in the uncomfortable middle seats. Sigh).