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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
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
upper and lower torsos.
It is important for the child to sit properly within the
vehicle seat belts.
When the vehicle seat 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 the child is ready to sit in a booster
seat, including: the weight and height rating 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
shoulder 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 your 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 their arm or behind their
back.
• The child is approaching the weight or height limit
of the child restraint they are 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
protection than an internal harness seat without the
tether.
The shoulder belt
MUST
cross midway
between child’s
shoulder and neck.
The shoulder belt
MUST
be routed
properly.
See page
.
The lap belt is
stretched low
and snug across
the child’s hips.
Boo
st
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