Firstly, let's take a quick look at what a Booster seat actually is. Booster seats are simply seats which allow your child freedom of movement but at the same time provide protection. This type of car safety sear is best described as midway between the total restraint given by the infant seat, and a more breathable restraint that we have with the adult seatbelt.
There's been a lot of controversy in recent years about the safety of some Booster car seats and also about parents buying the wrong size and type for their developing toddlers. With regards to the former, most seats of these types now meet international standards, and because of independent reviews, both online and in publications, it's really easy to be able to make an informed decision prior to purchase.
As parents, the first thing you need to consider carefully while out shopping for a child safety seat, is the need to pick a model that best fits your baby according to his or her age and height and weight. Once you have your booster seat, it should be used in the back seat of the car, never the front.
When should I put my child in a Booster Car Seat?
It is recommended that when your child reaches about 40 pounds in weight, it is time to move him or her out of a convertible car seat and into a booster. Your child's size and weight are important when choosing a booster seat, and most models are designed to accommodate kids from about 30 to 80 pounds. The specific instructions are can be found on the labels on the seat and will also be crossed referenced in the instruction booklet that is provided with the product.
When is it safe to move the Child from Booster to Car Seat?
Some countries now recognize that child safety seats of some kind should be used for all children under the age of 12, unless they are taller than 135 cm or 4ft 5in tall. Statistics have reported that children of 12 years and under are more secure in child seats than the standard seats. The UK government actually made this law in 2006. They said that putting kids into adequately protected child seating could save as many as 2,000 children a year from death or injury in road accidents.
Clunk Click Every Trip!
Today there are less than 10% of children between the ages 4 - 8 years that use a booster seat when riding in cars. For the sake of safe travelling we need to make sure that our kids clunk click every trip into adequate seating. Have you installed Booster Car Seats for Your Kids Safety?
Booster Car Seats Safety
If a child is using either a toddler only car seat, or a 'convertible' infant/toddler car seat, its time to transition the child into a booster car seat when he or she has outgrown the existing car seat restraints (usually at about 40 pounds), but is not yet ready for just seat belts (the minimum height recommended for a child to start using just seat belts is 4'9"). Booster car seats can typically accommodate a child from 30 to 100 pounds (usually 4 to 8 years of age). Child car seat manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, and you may be surprised to find that some of the more expensive car seats don't provide any better level of protection than those which are more moderately priced.
Many State laws require children to be in a safety car seat only up to age 4 or so, and many parents assume that children who are older than this will be safely restrained by just an adult safety belt. This, however, is not the case. An automobile's seat belt system is designed for use by adults, not small children, and it usually will not fit a child properly. A booster car seat is designed to improve the fit of the vehicle's safety belt system across the child's body, for greater comfort and safety. (A booster car seat should never be positioned in front of an air bag, as deployment of the bag can cause serious (even fatal) injuries to a child.)
Booster car car seats are available with either a "high back" or a "low back". High back car seats should always be used in cars without headrests, or with low seats, both to provide the child with a comfortable place to rest his or her head, and to provide protection against "whiplash" in an accident. Low back car seats are generally cheaper than high back car seats, and are easier to move from car to car, but should only be used in cars with headrests and high seat backs.
High back car seats are often available with a 5 point harness (when car seats are not being used with a harness, they are considered being used in the "belt positioning" mode). Using a harness is generally the safest way to restrain a child, and it is recommended that, if a harness is used, it be used until the child outgrows it (usually at about 40 pounds). There are also 'convertible' toddler/booster child car seats available. These car seats can be used for children from the time they are ready to start using a toddler car seat until they are ready to start using just the car seats belts.
Booster car seats are designed to raise the child up so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. Belt positioning car seats must always be used with a car's lap and shoulder belt (never with a lap only belt). The car seat will raise a child so the lap belt goes over the child's pelvis and hips (instead of his or her abdomen), and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the child's chest and shoulder (the car seat may have a clip that can be adjusted to ensure that the shoulder belt does not cross the child's face or neck).
Both Gary Tooth & Tom Littlepage are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gary Tooth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Appliances, Aging Problems and Pregnancy Problems. For more information on cars and car safety read the article on the Baby Car Seat, plus another take on. Gary Tooth's top article generates over 673000 views. Bookmark Gary Tooth to your Favourites.
Tom Littlepage has sinced written about articles on various topics from Infants And Toddlers, Seat Cover and Family Concerns. GalaxyOfStores is an Online Shopping Center for THOUSANDS of different products for the whole family. Please visit CHILD CAR SEATS for more information about. Tom Littlepage's top article generates over 9900 views. Bookmark Tom Littlepage to your Favourites.
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