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Saturday, 17 May 2008
 
 
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Article Index
Booster Seats
How Safety Belts Should Work
A Closer Look at Bones
Problems with Safety Belts for Kids
The Solution for Kids
Head Injury
Types of Booster Seats
Using Boosters with Lap-Only Belts
Talking to Kids
Misuse Patterns
Injury Patterns
Selected References
Citations

Kids who are over 40 pounds AND at least 3-4 years old should use a booster UNTIL they can pass the 5-step-test (usually age 8-10).

The 5-Step Test

  1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
  2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
  3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
  4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
  5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

©SafetyBeltSafe USA

Booster Seat Diagram

 

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right and to keep them safest.

 

Why? Because the vehicle seat is too big and a child’s bone structure is too small and underdeveloped to keep the safety belt in the proper place during a crash. A 4-8 year old child riding in a booster is 59% less likely to be injured in a crash than a 4-8 year old wearing a safety belt alone.


 
 
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