The next step that takes place once your child starts to outgrow his or her forward-facing carseat is the introduction of using a seat belt. The vehicle’s seat belt doesn’t yet fit most children properly, though. And that is where booster seats come in – lifesaving equipment which raises your child and locates the seat belt correctly with respect to best protection during a crash.
We have put together this guide which explains about booster seats, when to use it and what to do for your growing child.
Why are booster seats so important
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children; in 2018, 636 child passengers aged eight to fourteen died. [https://www.cdc.gov/transportation-safety/index.html] Though it can decrease the risk of death by 54% for children over one year old., proper car seat use only provides additional protection to toddlers: booster seats are just as important when these kids have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats but still cannot fit an adult belt properly.
How Do Booster Seats Improve Safety?
Well-positioned Seat Belt: A booster raises your child so the lap belt sits nice and low across their hip bones (not belly) while also guiding the shoulder belt right over his or her collarbone instead of cutting into their neck as can occur with a 3 point harnessed seat, and finally no longer makes it cut to close by starting at the rear window before making its way slicing through breast tissue. The proper positioning places good metal to handle crash forces.
Padded Head and Neck Support: Most booster seats are equipped with a padded headrest that will not only safeguard your child during an accident but also provide him/her the comfort of long rides as well.
A safety reminder: Never permit your child to ride in the car without a fitted seat belt, or an appropriately sized and correctly installed booster/appropriate car seat depending on their size.
When to Move Forward-Facing Booster
Kids usually move to a booster seat at an age of 3. It has two big factors of defining the transition:
- Height: Many kids are ready to move into a booster seat by the time they weigh over 40 pounds and have reached the height limit of their forward-facing car seat. But the preferred time is when they are 4’9″ in height and at which point, most likely their vehicle’s seat belt will fit them properly so they don’t need a booster seat.
- They must be of an age that they are mature enough to use a booster seat. The white portion of the guide marks where your child should be able to sit upright with their back against the seat and keep that shoulder belt in place throughout the car ride.
Note: Use car seats and booster seats according to the recommendations of your child’s pediatrician.
Picking the Perfect Booster Seat for Your Kid
When choosing from the wide array of booster seats, take these into consideration:
- High Back vs. Backless: A high back booster seat ensures that your child is protected not only by the safety belt, but also has extra head and neck protection which are ideal for younger children or those who fall asleep in their seats as most of them have a built-in recliner mode so spilling drinks during long drives can be outpaced! Backless booster seats are smaller and can also be easily moved, but may not work for some children.
- Weight Limits and Height Restrictions: Make sure any booster seat you select has weight limits that match your child’s current size, but also bear in mind their potential future growth ency heights
- Comfort and Features: Choose a booster seat that is adequately padded, made of breathable materials with features like cup holders or armrests to make your child enjoy the trip.
- Convenience : Consider how easy or hard it is for your child to buckle and unbuckle themselves as well, and the process of installing/ removing the booster seat from in/out of your car.
- Safety Tip: Find a booster with the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) to help keep that little dream armor properly secured, but also proper installation depends on compatible vehicle connections.
- Proper use of booster seats for safety.
Now that you have chosen the correct booster seat, remember, proper use is crucial. Takeaway Points
- This includes, but is not limited to: Read the Manuals – The booster seat manufacturer’s manual and your vehicle owner’s manual will offer valuable guidance on how best to install and use a booster in your car.
- Proper Seat Belt Fit: The bottom of the vehicle’s shoulder belt must be in front of his or her neck, not on their face. The lap belt should fit squarely across their hips and the shoulder belt crossing from collarbone to chest rather than neck or arm.
- Proper Positioning in Booster Seat: The booster seat should be placed firmly on the vehicle seat and not move back and forth. The LATCH system can also be used to keep some booster seats extra secure.
- Age counts: If your child won’t sit still in the booster, age isn’t enough maturity. You could begin demonstrating how to use seat belts properly and that they need to wait until they are mature enough.
- Inspection/Monitoring: Regularly check your booster seat for wear and tear, worn parts or loose straps.
