Car seat vs booster seat?

Question

My husband has been compalining recently about how much room the car seat takes up in his car, and today at the store he saw booster seats that have 5 point harnesses and look like a car seat really just not as bulky, now he wants one... i told him i would look into the safety of our son before he was alowed to get it.

our son is 15 months 30 lbs and im not sure on his hight i think its 29 inches

does anybody know about the difference between this kind of booster seat and a regular car seat as far as safety and are there laws about minnimum age in a booster

Answer 1

actually your child is big enough to ride in the booster it is still a carseat..and as long as its not those booster seats that just let them sit on the bottom part..which those are totally dangerous..i would get it..it will make it easier as your child gets in and out of the car and less room all the while still protecting him it will just suck when he falls asleep because those sides wont hold his head up like a traditional carseat...but on the other hand you wont ever have to buy another booster for him..it goes up to 100 lbs at that point he shouldnt be in one anymore

Answer 2

There are laws for height and weight requirements to be met for boosters.  Look up your states highway patrol (state police) site and they should have info there or call them.

Answer 3

You can use the seat your husband likes. The only difference between "car seat" and "booster seat" in the one your husband has selected, is the way the child is secured in the seat. Thus the term "convertible". The seat your husband wants can be used as a car seat for 20-40 pounds (as a carseat, this means you use the 5 point harness it comes with the secure your child) and as a booster seat (which means you remove the 5 point harness belt and clips, and use the vehicle's seatbelt to secure your child, following the instructions the seat comes with). Yes, you can buy this carseat and use it as a carseat now and later as a booster seat and the instructions it comes with will explain to you how to use it properly either way (as a car seat and as a booster seat). But please don't use it as a booster seat until your child is at least 40 pounds; the link says it can be used as a booster from 30-100 pounds, but I've been told not to use booster seats until 40 pounds (using vehicle's seatbelt to secure child).

There are pure "booster" seats that do not function as car seatsand they are just height raising chairs that sit on the vehicle's seat. You can't use that type of booster seat yet for your child. But the seat your husband picked out and you linked to can be used both ways (with its 5 point harness as a car seat, and later without the 5 point harness and with the vehicle's seatbelt instead making it a booster).

Source: mom of two, one now in carseat/booster seat, the other much older and not needing boosters anymore.

Answer 4

My daughter is 16 months old and we still keep her rear facing,  you do not have to forward face your child b/c they are a year and 20 pounds. You can forward face but it's safer to rear face as long as possible. You have to look at the height requirements for a booster seat, usually boosters are three years and up even in a harness. I live in MO and by law you have to keep a child in a car seat until 4 years and a booster until 4'9" or 100 pounds.

Answer 5

it depends where you live. I live in CT and the law says a car seat until they are 4 and 40lbs and then they can switch to a booster that uses the regular seatbelt.

The seat you have linked is a carseat/booster combo. It can be used as either. You can safely switch your son to this seat as long as you use the 5 point harness rather than the booster style where you would remove the harness and use the seat in conjuntion with the regular seatbelt. Once your child is older, probably around 4 or so depending on his weight and size, you can remove the harness and use the seat as a booster. For now I strongly suggest using the seat as a 5 point harness.

so in short. yes that seat is fine as long as you use it with the 5 point harness.

EDIT: the difference between the seat you have no and the one your husband wants to get is that the one you have now will probably only take you to 40lbs (it says 50lbs on the site you linked but your child is already 30lbs) and the other one will be able to convert to a booster later and take you to 100lbs if needed. I would definitely go with the one your husband wants to get. Even though the one you have is nice too, this one will take up less room AND last until your child no longer needs a seat at all.

Answer 6

yes there are age laws, sorry I don't remember I think it is 2 years old before you can use a booster seat in IL.

Any State Police would be happy to answer your question on age.

I prefer car seats as long as possible.

remember they are in case of an accident, I know it won't happen to you, but imagine the protection if it did happen.

Answer 7

While I don't know the specifics of age/size in Illinois, I do know that car seat is perfectly for fine when you turn your child forward facing; he would just need to use the harness until he he is legally allowed by the state to use it as a booster.

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the NHTSA are both beginning to recommend extended rear-facing for children; 1 year/20 pounds is a bare-bones minimum.

According to the AAP, "It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible." Many seats rear-face to 35-40 pounds.

EDIT: There's a good guide on the NHTSA website that explains all the different car seats. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/safetycheck...

Basically, a convertible goes from birth/rear-facing to toddler/forward-facing. The seat you showed is forward-facing only.

Answer 8

im assuming that you still have you son in a rear facing seat considering that the item you showed us is both a forward facing car seat and a booster seat combo. Your son is really unsafe if hes still in a rear facing seat. He should have been moved when he hit a year and was at least 20 pounds, thats the law. So yea its time to move him to that car seat.

Answer 9

You son is old enough to use it with the 5 point harness so the car-seat is legal, he can't use it in the belt position though with just the seat-belt until he is 4 years old.  Booster seats are for 4 years old and 40 lbs but the ones with a harness like that are considered car-seats that turn into boosters so they are legal from age 12 months and up.  

http://www.djgusa.com/booster_laws/ gives booster laws

Answer 10

I looked at both of the links you provided.  Your son is old enough for the convertible booster you have shown as long as you use the internal 5pt harness.  Once he is 40 lbs you can remove the harness and just use a seat belt.  According to the info you provided your current car seat will allow for him to be rear facing til he is 35 lbs.  I recommend keeping him rear facing for a little while longer.  As long as he is not uncomfortable rear facing, it is safer.  You only HAVE to turn them forward at 1yr/20lbs if those are the restrictions on your car seat.  Also most states require a child be 4yrs or 40 lbs for a belt positioning booster (using the seat belt only, not the 5pt harness)  Hope this is helpful.