Booster seats are necessary for children who have outgrown car seats and toddler seats but are not tall enough for adult seat belts. Rules vary by area, with some requiring booster seats for children up to eight years old. The safest place for a booster seat is in the back seat of the car.
After a child outgrows both a car seat and a car seat made for toddlers, they are usually not tall enough for an adult seat belt to fit properly. Booster seats raise a child so that the adult seat belt fits correctly on the child’s body. Booster seat rules vary by area, with some locations not requiring booster seat use and others requiring use by various ages up to and including eight years.
A child can usually start using a booster seat at the age of four. At this time, many children will approach or exceed the weight limits in most forward-facing child seats, which vary by model. Also, children this age can usually sit still and in the proper position for a booster seat. Most areas require the use of booster seats for this age, and many also include mention of the child’s weight. As of March 2011, Florida is the only state in the United States with booster seat rules that allow children over the age of three to ride in a car with no restrictions other than an adult seat belt.
Some areas only require the use of booster seats while children are under five years of age. In the United States, these areas include the states of Arizona and South Dakota. Booster seat rules covering children under the age of six are more common, with 12 US states having such laws on the books. Most states in the US require the use of booster seats for all children age seven and under.
Booster seat rules in some areas specifically address a child’s height as well as age. A child who is not tall enough for her knees to bend over the edge of the car seat should use a booster seat, regardless of her age or weight. Usually, a child will not be tall enough to wear an adult seat belt on his own until he is 10 to 12 years old. Without a booster seat, a shorter child may end up with the shoulder portion of the adult seat belt across their neck and the lap portion resting on their hips. An improperly fitted adult seat belt can cause serious injury in the event of a car accident.
The safest place for a booster seat is in the back seat of the car. Booster seat rules in some areas require this placement. Other areas do not require specific booster seat placement, and others allow placement in the front passenger seat only if the corresponding airbag is disabled.
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