Seat belts in the back of my car don't lock

[Unregistered]

I own a dodge intrepid 2004, and the problem is that the back seat seat belts do not lock. My daughter is big enough for a booster seat. Is it safe for her to ride in one?

 

[henrietta]

I own a dodge intrepid 2004, and the problem is that the back seat seat belts do not lock. My daughter is big enough for a booster seat. Is it safe for her to ride in one?

They do lock, they just don't lock manually at the retractor. The manual lock mechanism on them for installing carseats with is on the male part of the buckle (the latchplate). If you turn the latch plate over, you'll see a little bar inside it that moves. When you buckle the seatbelt, pull up on the lap belt. It's locked there.Those are called lightweight locking latch plates. They also have ALR's (automatic locking retractors), like all newer cars, so in a crash they will lock at the retractor. So, yes, it's safe to use w/a booster seat. The belt doesn't need to be locked pre-crash when using a booster seat, like it must be when using a car seat.

Now, if you're saying that any or all of the above is broken (ie, if you hit the brakes hard and the seat belts don't lock against you), those need to be inspected and repaired or replaced.

 

[Brigala]

My daughter is big enough for a booster seat. Is it safe for her to ride in one?

To sort of answer the second part of your question:

In order to ride safely in a booster, ALL of these conditions must be met:

- Over 4 years old (at a bare, bare minimum; most of us would recommend more like 5 or 6)

- Over 40 lbs (Depending on your state/provincial law and what booster you get there may be some wiggle room here for a much older child, say, over 6)

- Mature enough to sit up straight at all times and not play with the belt or lean out of it, and keep the belt positioned properly at all times

- Old enough to sit still and not slouch out of the belt, even when sleeping (or old enough that she no longer sleeps in the car)

Since we don't know anything about your daughter's age, size, or maturity level, we can't answer these questions for you but those are the guidelines we would use. Most of us would recommend children ride in a harnessed seat until at least 5 years old, but a few children may be ready a little before age 5. Many children who are a little more impulsive or squirmy need to stay in a harness until 6 or 7 because they simply don't have the ability to use a booster correctly and consistently. Many children are ready to use a booster occasionally for short trips months or even years before they're ready to transition full-time.