Should I let DS1 ride without booster for field trip? (Pics included)

[essnce629]

DS1 is 9 1/2 years old, 55" tall, and 74lbs. He normally rides in a FR85 booster in my car, a highback Monterey in our carpool's car, and a backless booster in DH's car (which he rarely rides in). On Friday, his class is going on a field trip and he really doesn't want to bring a booster. Up until now, I've made him take a backless booster on all field trips. He's the only one in the entire 4th grade to bring a booster since pretty much all of the kids have been out of boosters since age 6 (when the CA law changed, all his classmates were already 8). In my head, I thought by next year (age 10) I'll be fine with him not riding in a booster for field trips but they have a field trip scheduled for every month it seems till the end of this school year and he's starting to get embarrassed about having to explain to everyone why he's still riding in a booster. So I tried him out in my car (Mazda 5) two days ago to see if he passes the 5-step test since he didn't the last time I checked (a few months ago). I "think" he passes now (at least in my car in the 2nd row). His feet are flat on the ground, his back is against the seat, the lap belt is below his hips, and the shoulder belt is close to his neck but not against it. What do you think? Does it look good enough for him to go without a booster on field trips? He has no problem riding in a booster at other times so he'll still be in a booster full time in my car and our carpool's car.

Here's two pics from Friday

My fingers are touching his hip bones.

 

[bobandjess99]

is the field trip in a car? someone's personal vehicle? Or your vehicle? The issue is, a person can 5 step in 1 car and not in another. IOr even in differnet positions within the same car. Also, I'd be very concerned about the possibility of only lap belts in some positions, or else no headrests. So.. ya, I'd need to know more about the situation.
In that particular position in your vehicle., the fit looks acceptable.

 

[essnce629]

It would be in another parent's car, since I can't attend. I went on the last field trip and every parent that drove had a minivan-- new ones, most likely an Odyssey or Sienna. Parents are only allowed to put kids in seats with full shoulder belts, not lap belts only, and all kids have to be in the back seats.

 

[Wreckgoddess]

I "think" its acceptable. (I agree with you to keep him boostered all other times)

But I am a relatively new tech...

 

[Wreckgoddess]

Btw, he is soooo cute!!!!

 

[emandbri]

I'd let him go without. I let Benjamin move to a backless because he wanted to even though he still fits in the Monterrey and pro booster. None of his friends are in anything, he is 9 1/2 and in 3rd grade. I moved the monterey to dh's car.

 

[safeinthecar]

My odyssey was one of the last cars my daughter fit in. Well the captain's chairs anyway. What I did was send my son with a low back and lots of practice on how to tell if they needed it and lots of practice saying "my mom is a nut, but I love her enough to humor her craziness once in awhile."

 

[essnce629]

So the field trip was today and I let him go without a booster. He said he was in a sedan and that he past all the 5-steps in the car except that the seatbelt touched his neck a little. He knew not to move it out of the way or anything and didn't say he was uncomfortable.

He will stay in a booster full time everywhere else, especially since he likes to sit in the 3rd row with our carpool boy and the Mazda5 3rd row seatbelts are wonky without a highback booster. Once DS2 is ff'ing we'll re-evaluate and possibly move seats around. I would have no problem with him sitting in a backless in the 2nd row.