# S/O how many 7 year olds in a booster seat?



## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

curious how many of you have your 7/8 year olds in a booster seat?

my dd is 7 1/2 and i see some of her classmates still in boosters, but many not. i have her in her booster and will continue to do so till i find that she is tall enough for the seat belt to fit properly which i expect in the next couple of years. she is not in a high back booster.

however i am not anal about it. if sometimes we go with friends i dont drag the booster seat with me. 98% of the time she is in the booster though.


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## mimi_mommy (Apr 28, 2010)

My step daughter is at the insistance of her mother though my partner and both feel it is unnessecary. It depends where you live. MOst provinces and states have laws about booster seats and then suggestions.
In my province they suggest the at children remain in a booster seat until they have reached 4'10''.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

A child needs (for safety, which may be different than state law) to be in a booster of some sort until s/he passes the 5-step test:
~ knees bending at edge of seat and preferably feet resting on floor
~ back and buttocks against seat crease
~ shoulder belt crossing between neck and arm, not riding up on neck
~ lap belt crossing low on hips and thighs
~ able to remain in this position for the entire trip

I'm 41 and 5'5" and don't pass in all cars: it's very rare that a 7yo would pass consistently. Kids who don't pass need to be in boosters to protect themselves -- adults have a little more leeway because they have mature hipbones to hold the lapbelt down and prevent seatbelt syndrome.

ETA that my 8yo is in a highbacked booster 99.95% of the time and a backless booster the other 0.05%.


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## bigteamug (Sep 29, 2008)

Chances are, unless your kid is HUGE, that they will not fit properly in a seat belt alone until they are 10-12.

Here is some info:

http://carseatblog.com/?p=3966

Not keeping a kid in a booster risks submarining (sliding out under the seat belt, and being unrestrained during a car accident), internal injuries from the lap belt hitting their belly rather than their hip bones (this is really serious, internal injuries of this sort are hard repair), or having them slide out from behind the shoulder belt, and then hit on the back of the seat in front of them (or the dashboard, if they are in front). Please use the 5 step test above to see if any child is really large enough to be in a belt alone.

I personally know of 1, just one, kid who just turned 9 who is tall enough to pass the tests, and she is probably going to be supermodel tall. She is already as tall as I am - 60". ETA: she passes in her parents' cars, most likely not all cars as PP mentioned.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

My kid turned 8 last month, but he's still in one. When I drop him off at the school bus, every other kid that I see is not in any type of seat. Some are older, some younger. Most of his classmates (which he is the youngest in his class), regularly ride in the front.


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## jake&zaxmom (May 12, 2004)

DS1 will be 10 on June 1 and he's still in a booster. To the best of my understanding, to be safest in a seatbelt alone they are supposed to be able to sit all the way back in the seat and have the bend of their knees be at or past the edge of the seat so that their feet can be flat on the floor. DS1 isn't able to do that in the car that we drive the most. (He can do it in our truck and does not use a booster in that vehicle) Here in North Carolina, I think it's legal to ditch the booster when the child is 4'10" and 80 lbs OR 8 years old.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

mini_mommy i dont go by the legal standards here in the US. legally my dd does not have to be in a booster seat. its 6 and 60 pounds in CA. they have been studying the 8/80 pounds for a long time but havent made that into law yet.

you know whats interesting is i am 4'11" and i use a 'booster seat' made with a plank of wood and two cushions or else the belt doesnt fit well and neither can i see well when i drive. my seat does not come as high up as i want it to.

i draw a line at front seat passenger. she has never been one even though she would like to be one.


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

My oldest will be 7 in just over a week and he has just moved into a booster full time. Most of his classmates are in boosters, though some of them are in low back boosters which I personally do not feel is appropriate. He is pretty small and I'm sure he will be in a high back booster for several years to come.


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## boheime (Oct 25, 2005)

My 7 1/2 year old is still in his Regent. I expect him to switch to a HBB in the next year when he outgrows the Regent. We'll be using HBBs until the kids can fully pass the 5 step test, which I'm guessing won't be until around age 12.


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## sweetcheeks (May 21, 2005)

As I stated in the other thread, my 7YO boy is in a HBB. He's most likely the only kid in his class that still rides in a HBB, most of the other kids are in the no back boosters or just the seat belt. We do let him ride in the backless booster for school drop off and other short little trips. He will be in his HBB until he outgrows it... which I'm sure will be by height first. After that, we'll switch him to a backless booster until he passes the 5-step test.


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## MJB (Nov 28, 2009)

My 7.25 yr. old just switched from a harness to a booster shortly before turning 7. He is in a highback booster in my car but recently got a backless booster for his dad's car (for every other weekend). He's 49"/57 lbs. and I assume he'll be in a booster until around 10. The law here is 8/80 lbs. but the state we're moving to is only 7/50" so he could legally ride without a booster there pretty soon. I actually lied to his dad and said the law is 4'9" so I don't have to argue about why he needs a booster when his birthday rolls around.


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## MyFullHouse (Apr 23, 2010)

My 7yo will turn 8 in a month. She's in a high-backed booster with regular seat belt. My 6yo will turn 7 in two months. She *just* went from 5pt to a regular seat belt in her high-backed booster.

My now-11yo was too tall for a booster by the time he was 7/7.5 or so.


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## KMK_Mama (Jan 29, 2006)

My almost 8yo is still harnessed and will go into a HBB after outgrowing her sunshine radian.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

Ohio's law just changed so that by *law* kids now have to be in boosters till they are 8 yrs old AND 80#s....


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

my ds2 will be 8yo next month and i expect him to be in a booster for quite some time, long enough in fact that i just bought him a brand new ozzi. he is average in height and its all in his legs anyway so when he sits in the car he is short from the waist up. he is thin, only about 52#.

my now 15yo ds1 used a LBB until he was 11 and didnt sit in the front for another year after that. but with ds1, i didnt have internet and didnt know about boosters so when he outgrew his ff seat he went straight to the belt. one day when he was about 5yo i was going to kmart and there was a safety fair in the parking lot. we had to walk through it to get to the store and while ds was learning to dial 911 on a play phone someone approached me and asked if he was in a booster. i said no, they gave me a free one, and some literature, and i gladly used the seat until he didnt need it anymore, this time safely!

ftr, i am pretty much the only booster seat user i know. a friend just let her kindy boy ditch his, and it became an issue when they had to ride in my car and i made her dig it out of her garage or they couldnt come with me. another friend let her dd2 stop when her dd1 outgrew hers bc her hips didnt fit. she was still too short and light, just had a mature shape for her age, and i dont get why her little sister got to ditch the seat at the same time. they're 3 yrs apart, so they were about 6 and 9. yet another friend was told by her ped that there was no good reason to use a LBB after age 4. other ppl i know use a LBB in their car, but dont bother moving it when they send their kids with friends.


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## 4Marmalade (May 4, 2004)

Here a child needs to meet one of the following:

8 years old
80lbs
4 feet 9 inches tall

I'm not sure I agree with that as I'm sure there are plenty of 8 year olds that are still too small to use just the seatbelt. My ds is tall and I know that he definitely needs the booster to correctly position the seatbelt. He is 7-1/2 and is still in a HBB and can be until age 10 (Graco Turbobooster), assuming he fits and is not ready to use only the seatbelt.


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## KarenEMT (Aug 10, 2002)

DS is 8 and just outgrew his 5-point harnessed Regent (he is now 80 lb). He'll stay in a booster until he meets the criteria noted above. He's a really big boy but does not fit the seatbelt alone - it's not even close.


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## Roxswood (Jun 29, 2006)

I think in Europe the minimums are either 4ft5in tall or 11years whichever comes first but practically I will wait until they can pass the 5step test.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

until they are 4'9 they should be in boosters. my 11 year old is not that tall yet so he's still in a booster. He cannot fit a shoulder strap properly without one.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

My dd is still in a booster and she will stay in one until she is eight. Our state only requires a booster until kids are six, but I have held on because I like Washingtons 8/80 law. There seems to be a lot of opinions about which height/age/weight makes kids safe so I am going to go with what dd and I have always agreed on. I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.


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## medaroge (Dec 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *One_Girl* 
I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

I have thought about this as well. Why is it ok for a child in one state and not another state? Also, when you travel through states I guess you need to look at the laws of the state you are traveling through? The studies are available equally to all states, so it does make me wonder! Anyone know what state has the most stringent and which has the most relaxed laws?


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## rainyday (Apr 28, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *One_Girl* 
My dd is still in a booster and she will stay in one until she is eight. Our state only requires a booster until kids are six, but I have held on because I like Washingtons 8/80 law. There seems to be a lot of opinions about which height/age/weight makes kids safe so I am going to go with what dd and I have always agreed on. I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

I think unity among researchers and unity among lawmakers/state laws are two different things!

My ds at almost 8 is still in his hbb, and pretty much all the kids in his class are in boosters of some sort, many of them hbb.


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## Evan&Anna's_Mom (Jun 12, 2003)

I have just allowed my 7 1/2 YO DD to move from a HBB to a no-back one, which actually seems to be a better fit for her. Most of her classmates still use some sort of booster, and a couple of them are still harnessed. Most of the moms keep a stash of no-back ones in their cars for playdates so that we can make sure everyone is safe.

My DS grew out of his booster sometime after he turned 8. He's not particularly tall but he is, um, round, and it got to narrow for him to sit comfortably in.


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## Maiasaura (Aug 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
I'm 41 and 5'5" and don't pass in all cars: it's very rare that a 7yo would pass consistently. Kids who don't pass need to be in boosters to protect themselves -- adults have a little more leeway because they have mature hipbones to hold the lapbelt down and prevent seatbelt syndrome.

ETA that my 8yo is in a highbacked booster 99.95% of the time and a backless booster the other 0.05%.

This. I'm 5'1" (61") and I am fine in my Subaru Outback wagon, but I used to have an old Plymouth Gran Fury in which I could not see over the dashboard unless I sat on pillows or phone books









Quote:


Originally Posted by *jake&zaxmom* 
DS1 will be 10 on June 1 and he's still in a booster. To the best of my understanding, to be safest in a seatbelt alone they are supposed to be able to sit all the way back in the seat and have the bend of their knees be at or past the edge of the seat so that their feet can be flat on the floor. DS1 isn't able to do that in the car that we drive the most. (He can do it in our truck and does not use a booster in that vehicle) Here in North Carolina, I think it's legal to ditch the booster when the child is 4'10" and 80 lbs OR 8 years old.

I'm in NC, too. I've seen mixed things about what is correct and what isn't, as far as laws go. Here in Asheville, there are lots of billboards that say "4'9" is the law" but then I've heard the 8/80 rule, too.
Your "understanding" is a good indicator, I think! I haven't heard that till I read this thread.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blessedwithboys* 
ftr, i am pretty much the only booster seat user i know. a friend just let her kindy boy ditch his, and it became an issue when they had to ride in my car and i made her dig it out of her garage or they couldnt come with me.

Yep, that would be me, too. I don't let adults ride with me unless they buckle, nor do I let kids ride w/o a booster, no matter what the rules are in their parents' cars.
It amazes me when parents say things like "he just won't stay in the booster" or "refuses to"...hey, sorry, but who makes the rules? I know it's not a Mothering standard, generally, but in no way am I going to compromise, or practice consensual anything, when it comes to safety.
Well, I'm not a consensual mom anyway, but even if I were. Not for safety issues.

My ds is 9y3m, is 4'4" and 59lb. Very tall and skinny, but no way tall enough for a belt alone. He's in a HBB. I think it's a Graco (forgot







), the one with the memory foam seat and the place where you anchor the belt at the child's shoulder area. We do road trips and no way could or would he sit for a whole trip like it says in the post with the 5 stipulations.
I can't remember when we ditched the 5-point, but he was way old compared to other kids his age. I ditched it when the head rest wouldn't go any higher for his height.
He uses a LBB in other people's cars, but I just scored another HBB for carpooling (free, even!)









Suffice it to say, he'll be in that dang booster, in whoever's car, till he's 4'9" at least. He's always going to be skinny and I doubt he'll hit 80lb till he's at least 12 or more!
Thankfully, he's very safety-minded, plus doesn't care what other people say, so yay.


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## nola79 (Jun 21, 2009)

My 7 year old ds is still in a booster. He is 4'5" and around 55 pounds, so he'll be in one for awhile, the law here is 80lbs, not sure the height.


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## Swandira (Jun 26, 2005)

I have a 7-year-old on the small side of average, and we're in Washington, so he needs to be 8 years old and 80 pounds before he gets out of the booster. It's going to be a while; he's about 47 pounds now. I think he'll be a great height before he reaches 80 pounds. Fortunately, he doesn't complaint about the booster seat. I do know a few people, even up here, who disregard the booster law -- one of my daughter's preschool classmates (4 years old and 60 pounds) rides in the back seat with no harness or booster! Her mom mentioned to me that she resists the safety seat, so she lets her ride without it. Yikes!

Nealy
mama to T (7), L (4), and O (12/12/08)


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

My almost 10 year old is still in one. She's about 4 foot 2, maybe, low 50lbs.


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## jillmamma (Apr 11, 2005)

My 7 year old is still in a HBB (Graco Turbobooster), and will be for a long time yet (he is like 50ish lb and close to 4' tall).


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## TEAK's Mom (Apr 25, 2003)

My 8 year old is still in a HBB (Sunshine Kids Monterey) and she is the only 8 year old I know still using a booster of any kind. This is ironic because dd1 is huge (99% for height) and none of these kids come above her chin. Since AK has an 8 year or 80 lb law, people seem to think that they should toss the booster on the eighth birthday.

I had a parent get mad at me for putting an 8 year old in dd2's Britax Regent. This 8 year old was shorter than dd2 (who is 5.5) and I had to lower the straps.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *One_Girl* 
My dd is still in a booster and she will stay in one until she is eight. Our state only requires a booster until kids are six, but I have held on because I like Washingtons 8/80 law. There seems to be a lot of opinions about which height/age/weight makes kids safe so I am going to go with what dd and I have always agreed on. I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?


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## mumm (May 23, 2004)

My daughter is in a booster.

For her 7th birthday party we had 5 guests/kids go to the theatre with us. We drove and let parents know that we would need their car seat/booster. Of the 5 kids who came, only 2 usually use a booster. The others us nothing. I was suprised.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Well, the law where we live is 8 years or 80 lbs. Since I don't know may 7 year olds who are 80 lbs, most _should_ be in a booster. However, I found that we were a rarity. Most kids moved out of boosters in 2nd grade. We _just_ moved ds out of a booster about 2 weeks ago. He's 4'9" and 70 lbs. dripping wet. He turns 9 today.


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## DanielleT (Apr 29, 2010)

In my province the law is 80lbs or 9years old...


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## nutritionistmom (Jun 16, 2007)

The law here in Ontario is 8 or 80, but 10 yr ds still rides in a booster. He is only 65lbs and maybe 4 feet. His best friends are all still riding in boosters, but they are all small like him.


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## voicegrrl (Aug 17, 2007)

My almost 9 year old DD is in a no back booster. I don't think she's 80 pounds but can't remember at the moment. I'm frustrated because her step-mom told her recently that she doesn't need to be in a booster anymore and my ex took the twins out of their 5 pt seats at 4 and put them in hbb then has them in no back boosters and they just turned 6. I still have them in a britax marathon. Most of my daughter's friends don't use boosters anymore which I find appalling.


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## Maiasaura (Aug 12, 2002)

Britax Marathon!! THAT'S the 5-point that we used to have! Couldn't think of it before...


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sharlla* 
What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?

I am far past 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit me right. I am not going to make an issue out of it. We have a clip that I can use to adjust the seat belt so it is a better fit. She is tall and looking forward to being able to not sit in a booster seat and since there are so many different opinions about this issue I am going to stick with a middle age and height which she will have by 8.


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## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

in Utah it's the law to be in a booster until age 8.


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## bnhmama (Nov 28, 2006)

My 7 year old is in a high backed booster and will be until he outgrows it. He just got out of his marathon probably a year ago. (If that.)

I'm anal about it. He doesn't ride anywhere or with anyone without it.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sharlla* 
What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?

Then she still needs to be in a booster. VERY few children are able to pass the 5 step test at age 8. Most kids need a backless booster until somewhere between 10 and 12.


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## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

DD will be 7 next month, and she is in a HBB. DS1 is 9 and a half and still in a LBB. Neither have complained.


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## mamaw/two (Nov 21, 2005)

DD is 8.25 yrs and is in a 5pt, she is rather small at only 54lb and 51". The law in our state is booster up to 5 yrs and 40lbs







. She is the only one in a carseat of any kind in her class and it has been that way since kindergarden. At her school, about half the parents don't even have their preschoolers in boosters







. It is also VERY common to see a vehicle driving and see a little kid or two running and bouncing around in the back.


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

The law here is 8 or 80 but DS will ride in a booster until he's big enough to fit in the seatbelt correctly, probably closer to 10 or 11.


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## ALittleBitCrunchy (Jan 8, 2005)

DS is 8, weighs a little less than 70 pounds and is 4'6" or 4'7". He is in a backless booster in all cars. He would love to be out of it and is possibly the only one in his group of friends in a booster as most parents I know follow the age limit only. Also, the 8/80 law is new in my area and a lot of kids have been boosterless for years so there was an uproar about needing to buy seats and a lot of griping about the kids resisting. Honestly, I would guess that 50% of parents didn't re-booster their kids. We had never left the booster so it wasn't a big deal for us. According to DH, he passes the 5 step test in both of our cars, however, so I'll check him, too, and we'll see. I know he still needs the booster in my mom's car, though.

DD is 6, weighs a little less less than 70 pounds and is 4'2". She is also in a backless booster in all cars. Everyone I know in her age group in my area is also in a backless booster if they are in a seat (again, some were already out of a seat and the new law hasn't exactly been popular.)


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

The research on this one is quite clear, where extended harnessing has some real concerns about increased neck load, boostering children until they pass the 5 step test reduces risk of injury by over 90%. I have a mom in my new car seat tech class whose son just suffered internal decapitation (broken spinal column) after being t-boned in a collision when he was out of his booster seat. He was 7 years old and the parent wasn't too worried about moving seats all the time at this age. So, he was in a lap/shoulder belt only when he was hit. My sister was also in a collision at 7 years old, she submarined under her belt and hit her head, she had a skull fracture, cerebral hematoma and emergency brain surgery. Car crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children ages 1 to 14, most of those deaths and injuries are preventable, and for a 7 year old, the simple use of a $10 backless booster can be all that is needed to prevent awful injuries to the abdomen and spine.

It's unequivocal that my children will be boostered for every ride in every car, every time, until they pass the 5 step test, which usually happens around 4'9", the average child is not 4'9" until 10, so my 6 1/2 year old has a ways to go in her booster! In Michigan the law is 8 years old or 4'9" whichever comes first, so tiny 8 year olds are not legally required to be in a booster. It's a great step, but it's not enough, IMO.


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## jenaniah (Nov 23, 2003)

My niece H is in an HBB all the time and has been since she was 5. She outgrew her harnessed seat by height at 5. She sits correctly in it as her auntie has instilled car seat OCD into her already







Oh and she will be in it for quite a while as she is only 52 pounds and the law where she lives is 8 & 80 pounds.

My niece K is an LBB, much to my chagrin, but her mother thinks all the new car seat data is bs. She, unfortunately, has been in it since she turned 3 and I am sure that she will ride w/o any booster as soon as she turns 8 even if she doesn't weigh 80 pounds (although I htink she weighs close to that now) Heck, she sometimes rides w/o the booster now even though she doesn't pass ANY of the 5 step tests. Of course neither do her almost 11 yr old sister and her 13 yr olds brother, so it is pretty inevitable that she will be a non-safe rider.

My nephew A just stopped using his LBB a few months ago when he turned 11. He didn't weigh 80 pounds before then. Oh and he was in an HBB until he was 8.


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## UberMama (Feb 27, 2007)

My twin boys turned seven last November and they are still in boosters (with the HB still). I'm unsure of current height but they are both around 50 lbs. If they sit in the regular vehicle seat, the backs of their knees are no where close to the edge when their behinds are up against the back of the seat as they should be. As I informed MIL the other day, they'll be in boosters for at least 2-3 more years, if not longer.

That said, most of the kids their age at their school are not in boosters from what I see. In fact, out of about 20ish kids I see put in vehicles each day as we walk by, only 2 of them are in boosters. Most of the kids are in the back seat but there's a handful that are allowed in the front passenger. :/


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## Maiasaura (Aug 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bnhmama* 
I'm anal about it. He doesn't ride anywhere or with anyone without it.











Quote:


Originally Posted by *ALittleBitCrunchy* 
so there was an uproar about needing to buy seats and a lot of griping about the kids resisting.

This blows my mind. I wouldn't give a rosy red rat's patootie if my kid resisted. I'm the mom and he will do as I say when it comes to safety, or he won't <fill in the blank>. I'd rather have a live child that tantrums than a dead one because I caved to his whims and whining.
OK, rant over









Quote:


Originally Posted by *ilovemyavery* 
I have a mom in my new car seat tech class whose son just suffered internal decapitation (broken spinal column) after being t-boned in a collision when he was out of his booster seat. He was 7 years old and the parent wasn't too worried about moving seats all the time at this age. So, he was in a lap/shoulder belt only when he was hit. My sister was also in a collision at 7 years old, she submarined under her belt and hit her head, she had a skull fracture, cerebral hematoma and emergency brain surgery.











How awful. I am not clear, though, on the meanings of "T-boned" and "submarined"? Whatever they are, the injuries are just awful, but please do explain?
How is your sister now?







How is that little boy now, in your class? Are they going to be alright?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jenaniah* 
but her mother thinks all the new car seat data is bs.

I see this all too frequently, unfortunately. I can't help but feel so sorry for the little kids. I am so, so, SO safety conscious.
Here in western NC I see _lots_ of kids not in boosters, or even in car seats (like, 4 years old even!!), and I know people who let their kids ride in the front seat. Of vehicles with air bags








I just don't get it


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

"T-boned" is just another term for a side-impact crash, where someone hits the side of your car.

Submarining is when a child slides underneath the seatbelt. It is also known as "seatbelt syndrome". Generally this happens when a young child is in a seatbelt without a booster, since before puberty kids have no real hips to hold the belt in place. It can also happen with a very young child in a booster, since it's not possible to get good belt fit.


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## GranoLLLy-girl (Mar 1, 2005)

My dd, who is 8, is still in her Britax Regent 5 point--she is about 40 pounds, and probably about 40 inches tall (tiny for her age).
She'll probably still be in it at age 10 if her current growth is any indication.

I do not allow my children to ride in anyone else's car. Period. So far it has never caused us to miss an event or turn down any kind of invitation. I take them, or dh takes them, or they don't go. But again, it's never, not once, been an issue. It's now part of my "family culture" that my kids ride in our cars only in their Britax seats--and the kids know it and willingly abide by it.

I feel like my kids' safety is my number one job. So what if she doesn't ride with anyone else--I tell other moms right up front that I am paranoid about that kind of thing--never once has anyone had an issue with it and they let me follow them to wherever.

We live in Virginia Beach--the traffic is INSANE here--and not only that, but pedestrians get killed by motorists as often as motorists kill each other here--it's nuts. I bet the statistics prove us to be one of the worst places for car accidents. I'll have to look that up.


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## Maiasaura (Aug 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
"T-boned" is just another term for a side-impact crash, where someone hits the side of your car.

Submarining is when a child slides underneath the seatbelt. It is also known as "seatbelt syndrome". Generally this happens when a young child is in a seatbelt without a booster, since before puberty kids have no real hips to hold the belt in place. It can also happen with a very young child in a booster, since it's not possible to get good belt fit.

Thank you for the explanation









Quote:


Originally Posted by *GranoLLLy-girl* 
We live in Virginia Beach--the traffic is INSANE here--and not only that, but pedestrians get killed by motorists as often as motorists kill each other here--it's nuts. I bet the statistics prove us to be one of the worst places for car accidents. I'll have to look that up.

Ye Gods, woman, I will back you up here. My mom lives there, and I lived there for about 5 months, back pre-child. That place is in-effing-sane, for traffic, I _totally_ agree. I feel like I am taking our lives in our hands when we go visit my mom, literally. _Nobody_ knows how to drive in that place!


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

DD is 9 and still in her high back booster. She is 80pds and 53 inches tall. Her seat is a Graco high back booster which goes up to 100 pds 57inches. I intend to keep her in that seat until it either expires or she hits the height/weight limit.


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## MangoMommy (Oct 20, 2008)

My 7.5 yr old is in a high back booster (turbobooster) and my 9.5 is in the seat but I think I might put her in the backless booster now after reading this page. (hers is a turbobooster too)


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

7 1/2 yr old, 47 pounds, 49" Harnessed in Nautilus
5 yr. old, 42 pounds, 45" Harnessed in Nautilus
almost 5 year old (5/24) 38 pounds, 42" Harnessed in Nautilus


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

DD is 11. We explained the laws (9 years or 4'9) to her and she has opted to continue with a booster seat until she's 4'9, which is in about 4 inches. No idea when she will be tall enough. Only one person has made a comment to her and she just informed them she likes being safe.


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## Starflower (Sep 25, 2004)

I have a question for the WA residents here. I keep seeing WA listed as 8/80 on this thread but when I google for the laws, all I find is 8 years or 4'9" - does someone have links to more current info? Thanks.

My DD is almost 7 and is in a turbosbooster (which she loves). We're not trying to get out of it or anything, but I can't find the info about weight limits for WA.

DD's biggest complaint is about not being allowed in the front seat because she gets lonely in the back seat. But she hasn't complained about this for awhile and we told her it was the law that she had to be in the back to help her stay as safe as possible.


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## KaliShanti (Mar 23, 2008)

Texas law is 8 yrs or 4'9".

I will keep my kiddos boostered as long as it keeps them safer. DS (35 lb) is FF 5 point, and 5 month old is obviously RFing and looking to RF her to 40-45lbs.

Funny to think how I bounced around in my dad's pickup truck back with no seatbelt at all..


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## Eman'smom (Mar 19, 2002)

Ds is 9 and in a Recaro Vivo HBB. He is about 55 pounds soaking wet so he will be in some sort of seat for a while. So far it's never been an issue, he knows it's safer so that is that.


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## graceomalley (Dec 8, 2006)

The law here is that they must be in a booster until 7 years old. My tiny 10 year old (25kg, about 125cm) will be in one until he's 18, lol. I they say to keep them in it until they're 145cm tall.

My 13 year old (who is now 5'8 and 55kg, so the same height but a few kilograms thinner than me) was his brother's size when he was 7 and he moved out of the booster when he was 8.


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## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

My oldest JUST moved to a HBB. He turned 8 in March, and is tall and lean (52" and about 57lbs, I think). He only moved because my 2yo needed the Marathon, which was occupied by the 5yo, who then had to move to the Regent, which was occupied by the 8yo.









My 5yo very occasionally rides in the HBB (Sunshine Kids Monterey) when his brother isn't with us. It fits him quite well, too, and he is even better than the 8yo about staying in good position. But, his everyday seat is a 5-pt harness. (And the 2.5yo is still RFing.)

Fantastic points above. The reality is, the laws of PHYSICS never change, regardless of state or local laws. No child should ride in a belt-only until they pass the 5-step test, and it must be retested in every vehicle. Period.


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## Tiddilywinks (Jun 5, 2009)

My dd moved from her Britax Frontier just after her 8th birthday. She now rides in a Britax Parkway booster 100% of the time.


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

My 9yo is usually still in a booster. The 6yo still uses a regular five-point harness.


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## Katie T (Nov 8, 2008)

My 10yo is still in a booster. The seat belt doesn't fit her correctly otherwise.
She is 88lbs and pretty tall, def past what people "think" is the right age/size to go without but until she passes the 5 step test she will be in a booster and is fine with it.


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Janelle is 7 1/2, will be 8 in september, and is harnessed in our car, when she goes with a friend or with girl scouts she is in a highbacked booster. She is on the small side, was 42lbs when she turned 7 in september and according to the fire department (came to her school specifically to tell the kids what level of car seat they needed to still be in since I think 99% of them are in nothing, heck, I've seen many just sitting on their knees on the seat of the car while leaving the school before, so they aren't even in seat belts) in April was 39lbs, so she is really close to that 40lb mark. She's around 47-47 1/2"

Kincaid at 6 is 45lbs, but is also still harnessed. He doesn't sit still at all.


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## ssh (Aug 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadelbosque* 
Ohio's law just changed so that by *law* kids now have to be in boosters till they are 8 yrs old AND 80#s....

Colorado's law just changed to boosters until age 8.


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## 4Blessings (Feb 27, 2008)

Our seven-year-old and our nine-year-old are both in booster seats. I was so happy when our Dr. told the kids at their last appointment that they should expect to need a booster until they are at least 10!


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## thefreckledmama (Jun 1, 2007)

Here the law is 8/80/4'9", I intend on keeping my now 8 year old in a booster for as long as I possibly can. She's still in a hb booster.


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## Pookietooth (Jul 1, 2002)

My 7 year old is in a high backed booster seat which he will probably grow out of before he's the recommended 57" just because he has a very long torso for his height.


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## FishBounce (Dec 17, 2007)

I haven't read all the posts, but this was very timely for my family. Both my sons (9 and almost 7) are not legally required to be in boosters, but both are.
My youngest just yesterday was complaining about being in a "baby seat". So, while parked, I took it out, and had him buckle up. I showed him the difference between booster vs. no booster. Making it real to him helped him see why he needs it.








He'll be thrilled to know many other kids are in boosters too.


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## *bejeweled* (Jul 16, 2003)

My 7 yo is in a high back booster and will be until she's 80 lbs. That's a long ways away.


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## SunRise (Apr 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ssh* 
Colorado's law just changed to boosters until age 8.

NY's law changed from 7yrs to 8yrs as well.


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## MangoMommy (Oct 20, 2008)

So I tried putting my 9.5 yr old back in her Turbobooster (base only) and I'm in a dilema.

My 7.5 yr old is in a highback Turbobooster on the outboard. The baby is in an infant carrier (Combi) with base on the other outboard due to LATCH. This just does not leave enough room for my 9 yr old's booster base, the boosters cover the seatbelt buckles completely and every single time we get in the car, I have to get in the back with them and have them sit in the boosters while I try to pull the boosters off the seat to get them buckled, then try to cram the boosters back, all while my kids (9 and 7!) are sitting in them. They simply can not buckle at all since the boosters are completely covering the buckles.

I think it's going to get worse when I move the baby to her rear-facing convertible. UGG.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The Radian is very narrow, so it might give you some more room









Also, maybe try a different backless booster? The Turbo isn't the narrowest out there, and I think the Amp (made by Cosco I believe? forgive me if that is incorrect--I just woke up) is narrower, and it's cheap too. It's at Target for $15ish.


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## laughingfox (Dec 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HeatherB* 
The reality is, the laws of PHYSICS never change, regardless of state or local laws.

That's what I tell people who ask why my daughter's still in a booster, even though she's almost 9 and our state only requires them through age 7.
The laws of physics don't care how old she is.

She's tall but relatively thin, and there's no way her lap belt is going to rest in the right place without a booster for at least another year or two.


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Proud2BeAnAmerican* 
Our seven-year-old and our nine-year-old are both in booster seats. I was so happy when our Dr. told the kids at their last appointment that they should expect to need a booster until they are at least 10!









I'm so happy when our ped backs us up! She told Janelle she needed to still be harnessed back at 6 when she was 34lbs, and she told her this year at 42lbs that she should probably still stay harnessed to due her normal growth rate of the last nearly 5 years of gaining 5lbs, losing 3lbs, plateuing for 9ish months, then doing it again.

She also told Kincaid if he wanted a booster he had to learn to sit still.









I'll keep my kids in boosters till they outgrow them or they are driving, whichever comes first.


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## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

My 8 yr. old (he'll be 9 in July) is in a high back booster.


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## QueeTheBean (Aug 6, 2002)

Hmmmmm. I let my DS ride w/out the booster when he turned 11, but now I am thinking of putting him back in. He is almost 12 now, but only about 75 lbs and about 4'8". He will be going into 7th grade in the Fall & will die of embarrassment, but I guess that is better than dying in an accident. I truly can't imagine there is 1 other 7th grader in a booster. Most I see are riding in teh front with no seatbelt on!!









My 8 y.o. is just in a booster seat without a back, but maybe I need to re-consider that, too.

I tend to be fanatical about these things, but I did give in to pressure


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

my 7.5 year old is in a backless booster

Deanna


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

My 7.5 year old is 4'5" and 65 pounds - he's in a high back booster in my car (which is 99% of the time) and a backless booster with other people.


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## khaoskat (May 11, 2006)

Ohio law has nothing to do with weight.

Ohio's law that just began being enforced, but went into effect about 8 months ago, requires children under the age of 8 and less than 4 foot 9 inches to be in a booster seat.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

my kid will juust be moving INTO a booster at age 7, lol.


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## CortLong (Jun 4, 2003)

My 8 1/2 year old is still in a booster. The majority of the time she sits in a hbb, but occasionally will sit in a backless one.


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## ~Trinity~ (May 17, 2010)

My 7 year old is in a booster and will be for a long time. We put a strong emphasis on car seat safety in our family.

In Connecticut, the law states children must be in a booster until they are over 6 years old AND over 60 pounds.


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## CliffRose (Apr 19, 2010)

DS is 5, about 42". I intend on keeping him in a booster seat untill he is 10-12. We were in a car accident once already, and without the booster, he would've flown through the windshield. Better safe than sorry.


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## sunnysandiegan (Mar 5, 2008)

My DD is 9 years old, weighs 55 pounds, and is approximately 4 feet 4 inches. She rides in highback boosters (Monterey, Vivo, Apex) in our two cars and my dad's SUV. When we travel by plane, we take the back off the Monterey and travel with it as a LBB in the rental car or family cars. When she rides with a good friend of ours, who also happens to be her Girl Scout leader and has an only child about DD's age, they have a LBB for her that I have "approved". She fits well in that vehicle/booster combination and she isn't in a situation where she would fall asleep in the car. The mom was going to be taking her on a GS camping trip and I was planning to put one of our HBBs in her car for that trip. (Trip got canceled due to weather.)

We already have the three HBBs, so she'll stay in those until she outgrows them or can pass the 5 step test. On the random times she rides with someone other than already mentioned, I dismantle the Monterey and she rides in the LBB. If that car isn't available, then I pop the entire Vivo in and everyone just has to deal with it. I get more questions from the parents than my DD or her friends.

So, today we were headed out in the car and DH was working from home and I had time, so I had DD sit in both cars to see if she passed the 5 step test (out of curiosity). Nope. She's really close to having her legs/back in the appropriate places, but the seatbelt doesn't cross her neck/shoulder properly in either car. The lap belt portion is almost correct in one car, but a ways off in the other. My dad is out of town in his SUV, but I am very curious about her fit in other vehicles now.


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## Logan's mommy (Jan 19, 2007)

The law in my state is 8 years old and/or 4'9". Ds1 is 9, but only 4'6" so he still sits in his booster.

Off topic (sorta) but funny, I have a friend who is 22 but 4'10" so according to my state, she's *just* able to get by without a booster


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