When does a child ride in a booster seat and for how long?
Belt Positioning Boosters (booster seats) are designed to do one thing, to allow for the vehicle restraint system (seat belt) to fit the child properly.
Think of this as placing your child at the dinner table without a booster seat. He or she simply does not “fit” to the table. Now relate this to your vehicle seat. It is contoured for an adult fit. Your child needs a booster seat to “fit” the seat belt properly. Most children need to be in a booster seat between the ages of 4 and 8 and usually weight up to 80 pounds and are 4’ 9” tall. Here is a simple test:
- Can the child sit all the way back with knees bent over vehicle seat?
- Does the lap belt stay low across the hips?
- Does the shoulder strap lie across the breast bone?
- Can the child stay in this position for the entire ride?
“No” to any of these questions indicate the need for a booster.
Remember, all booster seats require the use of lap and shoulder seat belts.