Booster Car Seat – Safety for Older Children

Car seats come in all sizes. There are some for infants, toddlers and older children. The last car seat your child will need is a booster car seat. These seats give the child the extra height needed to safely use the car seat belt system.

If a child is not big enough, using the regular seat belts in the car may actually be dangerous. The shoulder belt is meant to cross the chest area. If the child is too small, the belt will cross the neck area which could cause serious injury if the car is in an accident. A booster car seat will place the shoulder belt in the right position.

Shoulder belts are also uncomfortable if they cross the neck area. This causes many children to place the shoulder belt either behind them or under their arm. This reduces the effectiveness of the restraint system which results in a greater incidence of injuries when booster car seats are not used.

It is not only the shoulder belt that needs to be in the proper place. The lap belt should cross the pelvis of the passenger, and if a child is too small, the lap belt will cross the stomach area. Without using a booster seat, the resulting pressure placed on the stomach could cause serious injury.

You can start using a booster car seat when your child is about 4 years old. It should be used until the child is at least 4 feet 9 inches in height, usually at about 8 years of age.

There are two basic styles of booster car seat. Booster seats without a back can be used in cars which have a high enough seat back to support the child’s head and neck. For cars with low-back seats, a high-back booster seat is needed.

Almost every manufacturer of car seats has several models of booster car seats to choose from. It is important to choose a seat that is suitable for both your car and your child. Some models have extras like cup holders that can appeal to your child.

Do some research before you buy a booster car seat. Almost every year there are some models of car seats that are recalled for defective designs. These models can be dangerous for your child, so be sure to read reviews and get as much information as possible before laying down your cash. Your child is worth it.
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Car Seats are so important for your child's safety that you can't take it lightly. Never buy used car seats, although they can look great they might have hidden weaknesses. You don't know what happened with them before. Never play around with your child's safety in order to safe a few bucks.