Should Your Child Still Be Using A Booster Seat? - Consumer Reports

5 Ways to Know Whether Your Child Should Still Be Using a Booster Seat

More than a quarter of kids age 4 to 7 are transitioned too soon, according to a national survey

By Emily A. Thomas, Ph.D. April 04, 2018 SHARES

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Kids—and often their parents—are eager to reach the next growth milestone. But don't rush your children through the progression of car seats or you could compromise their safety.

Consumer Reports and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that kids use booster seats until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and 8 to 12 years old. But many children are moved out of their booster too soon.

More than a quarter of 4- to 7-year-olds are prematurely transitioned out of their booster, according to a 2015 national survey on the use of booster seats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It's safer to wait. Even though some kids will be tall enough at age 8, most won't be ready to make the transition out of a booster until they are 10 to 11 years old, according to the AAP.

Booster Graduation Checklist

To know when the time is right for your child to leave a booster behind, sit him or her on a vehicle seat. Then run through this checklist. If the answer is "yes" for each question, it's safe to move from booster to seat belts:

Is the child's back flat against the vehicle seat?

Incorrect: Booster needed

The child's back is not against the seatback. Her hips are slouched forward, creating a gap between her lower back and the seat.

Booster Benefit

With the help of the booster seat, the child's entire back is now firmly against the back of the booster.

Correct: No booster needed.

This older child's back is firmly against the vehicle seatback.

• The child's back should be against the vehicle seat. This seating posture limits the slack in the seat belt, allowing the child to get the benefit of the belt with less forward movement. If kids aren't sitting comfortably, they may slide their hips forward, creating a gap between their back and the seatback and causing the lap belt to ride up onto their belly.

Do their knees bend comfortably at the vehicle seat's edge?

Incorrect: Booster needed

The child's knees bend before the end of the vehicle seat.

Booster Benefit

The shortened seat cushion allows the child to comfortably bend her knees at the edge of the booster cushion.

Correct: No booster needed

This older child is able to comfortably bend her knees at the edge of the vehicle seat.

• Knees should bend comfortably at the seat's edge. Most kids will slouch to let their knees bend comfortably, increasing their risk of injury because the seat belt rides up off of their hips and onto the soft part of their belly.

Is the shoulder belt centered between neck and shoulder?

Incorrect: Booster needed

The shoulder belt is resting too close to her neck.

Booster Benefit

The highback booster provides a belt guide so parents can properly route the shoulder belt.

Correct: No booster needed

The older child's shoulder belt crosses midway across the collarbone and sternum.

• The belt should be centered between neck and shoulder. Shoulder belts that sit too close to the neck can injure a child's neck and throat. Plus, this position can tempt kids to put the shoulder belt behind their back for comfort. A belt that sits off the shoulder can slip off during a crash, reducing its ability to protect.

Does the lap belt sit low across the top of the thighs?

Incorrect: Booster needed

The lap belt is not low across the child's upper thighs but is instead riding high up on the soft part of her belly.

Booster Benefit

The booster seat helps raise the child so that the lap belt lays properly across her upper thighs.

Correct: No booster needed

The older child's lap belt lays across her upper thighs.

• The lap belt should sit low across the top of the thighs. If the lap portion of the belt is across the soft tissue of the abdomen, it can damage internal organs in a crash. The lap belt should lay along the upper thighs across the sturdier hip bones.

Can they stay comfortably seated for the whole trip?

Incorrect: Booster needed

An uncomfortable child will do whatever it takes to get comfortable in the car, even if that means using her seat belt incorrectly.

Correct: No booster needed

Comfortable children are far more likely to maintain proper belt fit throughout the ride.

• Kids should stay comfortably seated for the whole trip. Uncomfortable children tend to sit in out-of-position postures—slouched forward, lying to one side, or with the seat belt behind their back or under their arm—leaving the belt unable to provide the best crash protection. Children who move excessively aren't ready for a booster and may be better off remaining in a car seat with a harness.

If the answer is "no" to any of the questions above, then your child is not ready to get out of a booster. Transitioning your child too early can significantly increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Additionally, because vehicle interiors vary greatly, your child may fit fine in one of your vehicles but not in another, because the seats and belts can work differently in each one. Be prepared to keep a booster seat handy for the car where your child may still need a boost.

Shopping for a Booster Seat?

See our car seat buying guide and ratings.

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Emily A. Thomas, Ph.D.

A Philly girl at heart, I'm making my way in quiet and quaint New England suburbia. At Consumer Reports, I've found the perfect blend for my love of injury biomechanics, forensics, and kids as an automotive safety engineer for child passenger safety. Mix in adventures with my hubby, baking, crafting, youth ministry, and my big Indian family—life is complete.

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