Should a 6 year still be sitting in a Booster Seat in the car

Question

Ok he's about 45 lbs. and he's pretty tall for his age. I'm not sure how tall, though.

Answer 1

WELL ITS KINDA CRAZY BUT YEA THE LAW DOES SAY THAT IF YOUR CHILD IS UNDER THE HEIGHT OF 4'9 THEY SHOULD BE IN A BOOSTER BUT I'M 4'9 AND I'M 21 SO ITS JUST SO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD BE IN A BOOSTER SEAT LOL  

Answer 2

Regardless of how big your child may be, his body is not able at six years of age to withstand the trauma's of a car accident.  Booster seats are there to properly align the seatbelt on their lil bodies.  one inch up or down can cause serious trauma to pelvic region, eternal bleeding.  There are too many risks here to even seriously question it.  He is your child after all, and his safety should  be your top priority.  My 9 year old daughter still has to sit in one, she's just an inch shy of the state law, but she's a scrawny lil thing, and is under the weight limit.

A quick way to judge if he's tall enough,  take the booster seat out, have him sit down, with his rear all the way back in the seat.  Now pay attention to his legs.  does the knee bend comfortably at the edge of the seat?  Does his feet touch the ground?  if no, than keep up with the booster.  this is for a normal seat, not a jump seat in small pickup trucks.

Answer 3

Yes, definitely.

A normal shoulder seatbelt is designed to work optimally for a height upwards of 150 cm (4"9). If you were in an accident and your child was not in a booster seat, the shoulder belt would be incorrectly placed and could do some serious damage to internal organs.

In many countries it is actually the law that children must be in a booster seat up to a certain age. In the UK, all children up to 135cm (4"5) or 12 years of age must use a suitable booster seat or booster cushion. You should check your local car safety laws.

Answer 4

Ooooh YES, certainly should. I would keep him in one as long as possible. Think of the added protection he would receive should he ever be involved in an accident.

My eldest is 7 1/2 and I still have him in a full booster seat anchored to the seat with a H safety harness. When it comes to your kids you should never take risks.

Answer 5

Depends on the height/weight of the child

They created this new rule that the child has to be like, 4'9"...but I think that's bull. Just because I'm Asian and it took me a while to get to 4'9".

I guess your kid out of the booster seat when it's ready.

Answer 6

Depends where you live, but in the UK he'd have to use one until he is 135 cm tall (that's about 4'5) or 12 years old. Weight really isn't an issue - it's being tall enough for an adult seatbelt to be in the right place for him.

My 8 year old (9 next week) still has one.

Answer 7

YES! Especially at only 45lbs. Actually, you're not going to like this answer...but experts recommend keeping kids in a 5 point harness, not just a booster, until they are at least 5 or 6 years old. Kids should be in a 5 point harness as long as possible, it is much safer than a booster. WHY KEEP THEM HARNESSED:

Compare the following crash tests for your self and see the major difference a harness makes.

Forward facing harness vs. booster: http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seite...

A lateral test (the third view in) of a harnessed seat: http://www.oeamtc.at/videobox/index.php?...

A deep winged high back booster like a Parkway: http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seite...

A shallow winged high back booster like the Turbobooster: http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seite...

And a no back booster: http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seite...

Crash test video showing a 5-point harnessed seat next to a belt positioning booster

http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=NxfIuhL3cX...

VIEDOES OF KIDS WHOSE PARENTS DESPERATELY WISH THEY'D KEPT THEM HARNESSED:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcq...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKb...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPBSEQ4xb...

We also now know the spine is not solid until age 6.

So to sit in a booster and use just the seatbelt like an adult (basically a booster just fits the belt to the child,so it's essentially the same), they need to be able to not have the lapbelt cause those injuries, have the head proportionate like an adult, and have a solid spine like an adult. kids under age 5 have higher rates of head injury if they are riding in boosters than kids over age 5 (presumably because younger kids have heavier/larger heads in proportion to their bodies, so they fly forward farther or with greater force, thus incurring greater injury if/when they come in contact with vehicle interior or intrusion?).

At 45lbs, and tall, I would highly recommend either a Graco Nautilus or Britax Regent to keep him harnesed. However, using a booster is an option. And, to your original question YES he should. WHY? Because to safely use just the seatbelt a child needs to be at least 4'9" tall, 80lbs, and pass this 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?

At only 6 years old and only 45lbs, even if he is tall, there is no way he passes the 5 step test, and is obvioulsy not 4'9" or 80lbs. Remember, too, that no matter what your state law is, lots of things are legal that aren't safe. Where I live, its legal to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. That does not make it safe. The laws of physics are the same everywhere.

Answer 8

Yes, the new thought is 4'9 or 80 lbs for a booster seat. it helps them to be in the best position for the seat belt.

It doesn't have to be a big and bulking seat. thers are ones taht are just a bottom platform with arm rest and maybe a cup holder.  

Answer 9

it is a state law where i live that until you are 80 pounds you are ina booster seat. i think it i sa great law because i would rather have my daughter sitting where the seatbelt is properly positioned than have it not right and get in an accident and have her head cut off or something. besides that you dont want the ticket or cps being called