Everyone knows that infants and young children need to ride in Child Car Seats. What is not as clear is the need for Booster Seats or how long a child needs to be in one. A child needs to be in a Belt Positioning Booster (BPB) Seat from the time they outgrow their forward facing child car seat, until they are 4’9” tall, 80-100 pounds. They should be able to pass The Safety Belt Fit Test. Did I just say 4’9”? Yes I did. Did I forget to mention the age limit? No, I chose not to, because it is not about their age, it is about how the adult seat belt fits them.
Whether in a BPB seat, or not, the seat belt needs to cross between the shoulder and the neck and the lap belt needs to sit across the hard hip bones or upper thighs, NOT on the soft tummy. If a seat belt does not fit properly, a child is likely to sustain life-threatening injuries in a crash. The shoulder belt will not hold them back into the seat and as the child folds in half, they can damage their spine, and the lap belt can cause a number of injuries to the internal organs as well. For more information on Seat Belts and on the Safety Belt Fit Test go to http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/big-kids/on-the-way/booster-seat-and-seat-belts.html
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