# When do you give up the booster seat?



## geekgolightly (Apr 21, 2004)

My son is 6.5, 66 lbs and 50" My husband thinks he will be fine without a booster seat (and unfortunately has told DS this, so now he wants to stop using it), but I don't have the information to back up my hesitancy.

Is it ok?

Thanks ladies.


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## mama2soren (Feb 12, 2009)

When they pass the 5-step test.

It is most highly unlikely that even the biggest 6.5 year old is anywhere near ready to ride with just a seatbelt.


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## mamasthree (Jul 15, 2006)

Here is the "law sheet" from TN...the booster law here is 8 years and 4'9" (which is 57"). Bold/large text is the law, smaller text is "best practice" information from national safety advocates.

Others can chime in with the 5 step test.

I know for us, in one of our cars, our daughters fit the adult seatbelt at a little less than 57"...but for the most part that was pretty much right on--it happened around 7-8 years old for both our older girls (tall for their age).


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## geekgolightly (Apr 21, 2004)

Thank you so much!


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamasthree* 
Here is the "law sheet" from TN...the booster law here is 8 years and 4'9" (which is 57"). Bold/large text is the law, smaller text is "best practice" information from national safety advocates.

Others can chime in with the 5 step test.

I know for us, in one of our cars, our daughters fit the adult seatbelt at a little less than 57"...but for the most part that was pretty much right on--it happened around 7-8 years old for both our older girls (tall for their age).


It really varies on the child's torso height, not overall height, so it's hard to compare two children of different heights when the torso height is unknown.

Make sure the vehicle belt fits square on the shoulders first.


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## MoonStarFalling (Nov 4, 2004)

No way. My large 8 year old just passed the 5 step but only in our van because it has the seatbelt in the rear that adjusts down.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

I was going to let my dd move out of her booster seat when she was 8, but I was talking to my friend about this and she told me her friend was decapatated as an adult by a seat belt that fit improperly. I talked to dd about the safety aspects (without telling her how people can die just that they can) and she decided that she would rather stay in her booster seat until she can pass the 5 step test. She is very close because the seat belts in our car are low.


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## MangoMommy (Oct 20, 2008)

I need help too!! I can not fit another booster in my car, ugg.

I have a nearly 10 yr old. She's about 55 lbs and 55". I have my nearly 8 yr old in a high back booster (50 lbs, 52") on the outboard, the infant RF in a Marathon on the other outboard, and my almost 10 yr old in the seat in between them. I will check tomorrow but I do think the seatbelt comes down more across her neck rather than her chest, as the seatbelt is the kind coming out of the roof of the car for the middle seat.

When I try to force the extra booster in the middle, the bottom of the booster seats cover the buckles and I can't get them buckled. I've tried having 1 kid get in, then getting that child buckled, and trying to pull the unbuckled kid's seat forward, but it's too hard...they have sit in the seat to get it buckled, then I can't move it around,etc.

I drive a Murano.


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## Got_Cloth (May 14, 2005)

My 6.5 year old is still in a 5 pt harness. I plan to keep her there until she is 80 lbs, so probably 8 or 9 years old. My 9 year old is and 8 year old, are still in full, high back boosters, with side impact protection. It is not worth the risk of my childrens health, so they can be more comfortable in a car, or so it is more convenient for us to not have to deal with car seats or booster seats.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Most car safety advocates are just barely moving their children INTO a biooster seat at that age, definitely NOT out of it.
Check your local laws - most states have upped their law to 8 years old and/or 80 lbs.

A child the size iof yours certainly doesn't fit into the adult seat belt correctly. Use the 5 step test and you'll be able to see which creiteria he does not meet (probably most, if not all of them).
Most kids NEED to be boostered until age 10 or beyond. Heck, as a five foot tall woman, *I* personally do not fit truly correctly in most vehicle seat belts.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Got_Cloth* 
My 6.5 year old is still in a 5 pt harness. I plan to keep her there until she is 80 lbs, so probably 8 or 9 years old. My 9 year old is and 8 year old, are still in full, high back boosters, with side impact protection. It is not worth the risk of my childrens health, so they can be more comfortable in a car, or so it is more convenient for us to not have to deal with car seats or booster seats.

I don't know of any seat on the market that will get an average child to 80lbs. Be aware that her seat will probably be outgrown by height before weight. She needs an inch of hard shell above her head and for the straps to come out ABOVE her shoulders.







If she's in a regent or frontier 85 she should probably fit for awhile longer, but I've not known any kid to make it to 80lbs harnessed still fitting properly.

-Angela


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## SubliminalDarkness (Sep 9, 2009)

We've chosen to follow the strictest laws(I think NJ is one of them, I could be wrong). Which is at least 8 years old AND 80lbs. (obviously, they would also need to fit properly, so a very heavy but short child might meet the weight, but not the height)

DS1 is 8 years old and not quite 60lbs. yet. He is still in a booster, high back in my car, backless in our other car. He isn't too happy about the prospect of still being in one when he's 10, but frankly I don't care.


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## spatulagirl (Feb 21, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SubliminalDarkness* 
We've chosen to follow the strictest laws(I think NJ is one of them, I could be wrong). Which is at least 8 years old AND 80lbs. (obviously, they would also need to fit properly, so a very heavy but short child might meet the weight, but not the height)

DS1 is 8 years old and not quite 60lbs. yet. He is still in a booster, high back in my car, backless in our other car. He isn't too happy about the prospect of still being in one when he's 10, but frankly I don't care.

Us too. My almost 9 year old is in a high back booster. And he will remain in one until he meets the height requirements.


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## NaturallyKait (Sep 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I don't know of any seat on the market that will get an average child to 80lbs. Be aware that her seat will probably be outgrown by height before weight. She needs an inch of hard shell above her head and for the straps to come out ABOVE her shoulders.







If she's in a regent or frontier 85 she should probably fit for awhile longer, but I've not known any kid to make it to 80lbs harnessed still fitting properly.

-Angela

Actually the inch above the head is for rf, ff they need hard shell to the tips of their ears.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I don't know of any seat on the market that will get an average child to 80lbs. Be aware that her seat will probably be outgrown by height before weight. She needs an inch of hard shell above her head and for the straps to come out ABOVE her shoulders.







If she's in a regent or frontier 85 she should probably fit for awhile longer, but I've not known any kid to make it to 80lbs harnessed still fitting properly.

(and)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *crunchycanadian* 
Actually the inch above the head is for rf, ff they need hard shell to the tips of their ears.

Some come close in a Frontier85 and a few in a Regent, but I agree that most seats with a harness capacity of 80# do not actually get most kids to 80#. What seat do you have, Got_Cloth?

I also need to add that it is not safeST to harness physically and developmentally typical kids to 80#. There is some nonconclusive evidence that harnessing is safer in certain crashes, and some nonconclusive evidence that boostering is safer in certain crashes. For children who can use boosters *properly* (taking into account maturity and impulse control as well as age, size, and vehicle suitability), there is no evidence that harnessing is any safer than boostering.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

It is my opinion, based on reading every relevant report I can get my hands on, that a child who is physically large enough and developmentally mature enough to use a BPB correctly is better off belted than harnessed. The explosive retraction of the integrated seatbelt is a darn good feature. Dinky little harnesses just don't compare. It was with great relief that I transitioned my four-year-old to a BPB, and my youngest is going to stay rear-facing until she can use a BPB. I think extended FFing harnessing is going to be regarded, historically, as a bad call.

That said, once a kid is in a BPB and getting the benefit of the integrated belt, I'm happy to keep using the booster as long as it gets a good fit. My large 6 y.o. fits beautifully in his Turbobooster. I fully expect that he will be at least 8 before he is equally well-fitted without a booster. If you remove the booster and the seatbelt is slashing across the kid's neck, then either you don't drive all 3 at one time or you get a new car, or you disregard the law and put the child in the front seat with their booster.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *crunchycanadian* 
Actually the inch above the head is for rf, ff they need hard shell to the tips of their ears.

Duh. Thanks! Typing too fast in the morning- thanks for correcting









-Angela


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## laughingfox (Dec 13, 2005)

DD1 turns 9 in 2 weeks. She's still boostered and probably still will be on her next birthday, too.


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