When to Put Your
Child in a Booster
Seat
Booster seats raise the child up and help to position the
vehicle lap and shoulder belt correctly. When the child
is
properly restrained
in a booster seat, his/her risk of
injury in all types of crashes is reduced, as the lap and
shoulder belt provides excellent restraint of both the up-
per and lower torsos.
It is important for the child to sit properly within the
vehicle seat belts.
When the vehicle belt is buckled,
the lap belt should be low on the hips, just touching
the thighs, and the shoulder belt should lie across the
middle of the shoulder. If the child leans out or moves
the belt behind the back or places it under the arm,
it
will not provide the intended restraint.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding
whether a child is ready to sit in a booster seat, includ-
ing: the weight and height ratings on his/her current
child seat, the child’s own weight and height, his/her
maturity, and the seating positions available in your
vehicle.
How is a booster seat used?
Using a booster seat is very similar to buckling yourself
into the vehicle:
• Read the instruction manuals for both the booster seat
and the vehicle before you start.
• Put the booster in the back seat in a location with
a lap and shoulder belt.
Never use a booster with
only a lap belt
, as this could cause serious injuries.
• After the child is in the booster, pull the lap and shoul
-
der belt across him/her and buckle it.
• Check that the shoulder belt lies across the middle of
the shoulder and that the lap belt is low on the hips,
just touching the thighs.
How can you tell if a child is ready to transition
to a booster seat?
You should consider using a booster seat if the following
conditions apply:
• The child is mature enough to sit in the booster seat
and not put the belts under his/her arm or behind his/
her back.
• The child is approaching the weight or height limit
of the child restraint he/she is currently using. (Even
children who have not outgrown their toddler seat
can benefit from the use of a booster seat, if it is used
properly.)
• If you have a vehicle that does not have a tether
anchorage but has lap/shoulder belts available in the
back seat, a booster seat may provide better protec-
tion than an internal harness seat without the tether.
The shoulder belt
MUST
pass through shoulder
belt guide.
The shoulder belt
MUST
cross midway
between child’s
shoulder and neck.
The lap belt is stretched low and
snug across the child’s hips, be-
neath the armrests, and fastened
into the buckle.
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