As most of us moms know, children car seat safety can be so confusing. When do you turn them around? When do they graduate to regular sized car seat? When are they big enough for the booster seat? Our previous article covered most of these questions, but new booster seat crash tests just came out from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They broke down the list to Best Bets, Good Bets, and Not Recommended.
For a proper fit, boosters elevate a child so that a regular safety belt will fit them better. The lap belt is supposed to fit across the upper thigh, not across the abdomen which is more likely to be injured in a crash than bony structures like the pelvis. The shoulder belt should cross snugly over the middle of a child’s shoulder and this makes it more comfortable to use. The better the fit, the less likely it is to move behind the back or under an arm. Also you can buy boosters as highbacks or as backless – and both types ranked within the best bets and good bets.
The Best Bets are most likely to position lap and shoulder belts in the right place:
Britax Frontier
Clek Oobr
Combi Dakota, backless with clip
Cosco Junvenile Pronto
Eddie Bauer Auto Booster
Evenflo Big Kid Amp, backless with clip
Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR
Recaro Vivo
Recaro Young Sport
Good Bets have acceptable lap and shoulder fit:
Britax Parkway SG
Combi Kobuk, backless with clip
Evenflo Symphony 65
Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat 3, Sachi
Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat Step 3, Wander
Maxi-Cosi Rodi
Parents should avoid buying the seats on the Not Recommended list because they do not provide good belt fit. The institute suggests that you do not throw it away if you have one of these because any booster seat is better than not one at all – so just replace it when you can.
Alpha Omega
Alpha Omega Elite
Alpha Omega Luxe Echelon
Combi Kobuk
Eddie Buer Deluxe
Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1
Evenflow Express
Evenflow Sightseer
Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe, backless with clip
Safety 1st All-in-One
Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite
Do any of you smarties have any experience with the seats mentioned above?
12 comments
What is the height and weight requirement to move INTO a booster seat from the five-point harness? I don't think I saw that in your last post. Or maybe mommy brain just made me not see it!
Isn't the Britax Frontier a 5 point harness?I'm thinking our next step up is the Sunshine Radian XT 80. Booster, but still 5 point harness.
We have the Britax Frontier and LOVE it!! It is 5 point harness, and when we are done with that we can use it as a belt postioning seat. Our 5 year old is using this seat in the harness mode currently. He is about 45 lbs and 45 1/2 inches tall.
Here's another great resource for understanding when to switch between car seat types & which seats and belts are the best for children: http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/This is a foundation started & run by a mom who sadly had learned, in the worst possible way, about these matters.
To Pia, I'm so glad you included this link. I absolutely remember this story 5 years ago when I was considering a booster seat for my 2nd child and because of it, I still use mainly 5-point harness seats. I ran into problems with my now 6-year-old who happens to be the smallest 6-year-old on the planet. Seriously, she just now made the "charts" this year in the 5th percentile! Children often call the convertible seats "baby" seats as they move up to the boosters and that's exactly what happened to my daughter. With carpools and playdates, a Graco booster seat (no harnesses) was a regular in other cars, so we went with it on these occasions. I know my Isabel was too small and I'm just lucky we never got in an accident. Isabel is now only 37 lbs so technically, according to weight requirements, she still doesn't meet the 40lb rule for most boosters. I do think that height is the most important factor, since this is key for proper placement with seatbelts and shoulder straps. Make sure you research the height and weight requirements of any booster you are considering, and if your child is borderline, I would err on the safe side with a 5-point harness seat. If you promote your children too early, they can easily wiggle themselves out of the "safe" zone. As they get older, they are better at understanding the importance of safety. We are in this dilemma right now with our twins who are turning 4 next month. They act like they are 8 to compete with their big sisters. They fight over carseats and insist that their seats are "baby" seats. I will more than likely promote them to the Britax booster with a 5-point harness to start with when they meet the safety requirments. I'm going to call it a "crossover big boy seat"!And God bless Kyle David Miller! Every time I hear that Nickelback song, I think of his story and it gives me chills.
Thank you for sharing this information and the following link – http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/ -I will not be rushing out of the 5-point harness anytime soon, I had no idea. Good bless you Kyle David Miller.
There is no booster that fits all size children and all types of vehicles. So in that case there is no "best" boosters as suggested by the most recent research. All boosters on the market today have been federally tested and have passed motor vehicles safety standards 213- administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Parents should focus on three things when trying to find the best child safety seat or booster seat for their child- one, the seat should fit the vehicle, second, the seat should fit the child, and third, the parent must be comfortable installing the seat CORRECTLY according to manufacture's instructions. I strongly recommend seeking out a certified child passenger safety techician for more information on proper installation. Also parents please don't get stuck on BRAND and PRICE-stick to the three things above. Remember this- a 40.00 seat will perform just as well in a crash as a 200.00 if installed CORRECTLY accroding to manufacture instructions. You have to shop for a seat like you do a car- do your research! The NHTSA has a good resource called- Ease of Use Ratings, it grades a seat on a five star scale on how user friendly it is. Also, ask a retailer to allow you to try a seat out in your vehicle before purchasing- it doesn't hurt to ask. Sincerely,Certified Child Passenger Safety Instructor
Where can we find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Instructor?
And Britax Frontier is made here in Charlotte. Their corporate office and manufacturing facilty is right off Carowinds Blvd!
What is the best booster that allows the children to sleep… I recently purchased an Evenflo from Target… loved the cushiness and the lights, but when she falls asleep, she slumps over…. This is great for short trips but I need something for long sleepy trips… any suggestions?
What is the best booster that allows the children to sleep… I recently purchased an Evenflo from Target… loved the cushiness and the lights, but when she falls asleep, she slumps over…. This is great for short trips but I need something for long sleepy trips… any suggestions?
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