Children are required by law to be buckled up in booster seats after they have graduated from a car seat. The problem is that there are no rules governing the requirements of a booster seat. There are many great booster seats on the market, but unfortunately, there are also many boosters that are not safe. This article highlights the findings of the recent booster seat study.
Booster Seat Weight and Age
Car seat rules vary somewhat depending on the State or Province of residence. Generally, after a toddler passes 40lbs (18kg) he should be moved from a car seat into a booster seat. A child should continue to use a booster until reaching 80 bs (36kgs) or a height of 57 inches (145cm).
As a rule children are required to use a booster seat between the ages of 4 and 8. However. since children vary in size, parents should use the weight and height restrictions instead of the age guidelines. Parents should verify specific rules in their geographical area to ensure that they are not breaking the law.
Tips to Buying a Safe Booster Seat
The purpose or goal of a booster seat is to alter adult seat belts so they safely restrain children. There are two key areas that must fit properly. Firstly, the shoulder belt needs to fit snugly and comfortably across the center of the shoulder. It shouldn't touch the neck or be falling off the shoulder. Secondly, the lap belt must sit flat on the upper thighs, on the bones. It is not safe if the lap belt rides up on the tummy. In the event of an accident, belts going over the abdomen can cause serious injury.
Best Rated Booster Seats for Safety – Booster Evaluation 2010
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (I.I.H.S.) released its latest recommendations for the safest booster seats on the market. In 2010, it rated 21 seats as Best Bets and another seven were rated as Good Bets. Russ Rader of I.I.H.S. was a guest on Canada Am on Sept 8th, 2010. He explained that Best Bets provide good lap and shoulder belt fit for typical four- to eight-year-olds, in almost any car, van or S.U.V. The list includes seats that are over $200 as well as, seats as low as $28.
- Brixtax Frontier 85 High Back
- Chicco Keyfit Strata Dual Mode
- Clek Oobr Dual Mode
- Costco Juvenile Pronto High Back
- Evenflo Big Kid Amp w/clip
- Harmony Dreamtime High Back
- Harmony Dreamtime w/clip Backless
- Graco Turbo Booster Crawford
- Cybex Solution X-Fix High Back
- Harmony Youth Booster Backless
This list includes 10 of the 21 Best Bets. Parents can consult the I.I.H.S. website to find out the complete list of safest booster seats on the market.
Booster Seat Safety Failures
The following seats are on the list of booster seats to avoid. These booster seats fail to readjust the adult seat belts properly. They fail to provide a good belt fit for young children. The result can be serious injury in the event of an accident.
- Eddie Bauer Deluxe High Back
- Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3 in 1 High Back
- Evenflo Express
- Evenflo Generation 65
- Evenflo Sightseer
- Harmony Baby Armour Dual Mode
- Safety 1st All in One High Back
- Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite
Parents want to transport their children in the safest manner possible. The I.I. H. S. evaluation helps parents make the best choice. Booster seats need to provide a good lap belt and shoulder belt fit, regardless of whether the boosters are high back, backless or dual mode.
If you found this article useful, read Best Toddler and Baby Toys 2010.
Linda Wongkee - Linda is an online and print author. She writes about travel and education, her two passions!!
