When can we switch to a booster seat?

Question

My daughter is three years old and weighs about 30 pounds. When is it safe to switch her into a booster seat?

Answer 1

You can safely switch your child to a booster seat if she's at least 3 years old and she weighs 40 pounds or more or has grown too tall for her car seat (when her shoulders are higher than the top set of harness-strap slots in the car seat's back). Whatever you do, don't move your child to a booster seat simply because she's had her third (or even her fourth) birthday. Car seats are the safest option, so keep using yours as long as it fits.
You'll also need to check the car seat law in your state (you can use the Child Safety Laws tool at the National Safe Kids Campaign site to look up local regulations).

No matter when your child finally outgrows her car seat, it's imperative that you don't skip the booster-seat step and go straight to using seat belts alone. Although many parents do this (94 percent, according to recent reports), it's a dangerous mistake. Why? Because a booster positions your vehicle's lap and shoulder belts correctly on your child's torso. Without it, the belts will be too high, falling across her belly and neck, where they can do serious damage in a crash. Given the fact that seat belts fit some shorter adults incorrectly, it's not surprising that most kids need to use booster seats until at least age 8.

When it comes to choosing a booster seat, be sure to select one that uses your auto's lap and shoulder belts (called a belt-positioning seat), rather than one designed for lap belts only (called a shield-style seat). In a crash, belt-positioning seats are far safer. (If you have only lap belts in the rear of your car, select a booster seat with an extra "energy absorber" belt.) Backless booster seats tend to provide a better fit than the high-back kind, and are more portable when you're switching them from car to car. One exception: If the rear seat of your vehicle has a low back, opt for a high-back booster seat, which provides more head and neck protection in a collision.

Answer 2

Question: When should my child switch from a car seat to a booster seat?

Answer: You can safely switch your child to a booster seat if she's at least 3 years old and she weighs 40 pounds or more or has grown too tall for her car seat (when her shoulders are higher than the top set of harness-strap slots in the car seat's back). Whatever you do, don't move your child to a booster seat simply because she's had her third (or even her fourth) birthday. Car seats are the safest option, so keep using yours as long as it fits. You'll also need to check the car seat law in your state (you can use the Child Safety Laws tool at the National Safe Kids Campaign site to look up local regulations).

No matter when your child finally outgrows her car seat, it's imperative that you don't skip the booster-seat step and go straight to using seat belts alone. Although many parents do this (94 percent, according to recent reports), it's a dangerous mistake. Why? Because a booster positions your vehicle's lap and shoulder belts correctly on your child's torso. Without it, the belts will be too high, falling across her belly and neck, where they can do serious damage in a crash. Given the fact that seat belts fit some shorter adults incorrectly, it's not surprising that most kids need to use booster seats until at least age 8.

When it comes to choosing a booster seat, be sure to select one that uses your auto's lap and shoulder belts (called a belt-positioning seat), rather than one designed for lap belts only (called a shield-style seat). In a crash, belt-positioning seats are far safer. (If you have only lap belts in the rear of your car, select a booster seat with an extra "energy absorber" belt.) Backless booster seats tend to provide a better fit than the high-back kind, and are more portable when you're switching them from car to car. One exception: If the rear seat of your vehicle has a low back, opt for a high-back booster seat, which provides more head and neck protection in a collision.

Answer 3

It depends on the booster seat. The main thing is reading the labels and making sure she meets the height and weight requirements for that seat. At 30 lbs she is still pretty small and a 5 point harness might still be your best bet for another few lbs or so, but check the specs on the seats.

Answer 4

Most children between the ages of four and eight or 40-80 pounds are recommended to be in booster seats. The leading cause of death in young children between 4-8 are motor vehicle deaths because of not being in one. Here's a site with some more information.

Answer 5

It's safest to keep her in the 5 point harness as long as possible. If she is getting too big for her seat try finding one of the combination seats that have the harness and seat belt guides. I don't know your states rules,but you should check. It's considerd child endagerment and neglect if she isn't in the right seat for her age.

Answer 6

When she is 40 pds or as close to that is possible.Most kids get in a booster at 3,i would wait until she is at least 37 pds.