Booster Seat - Bethlehem, PA

E.,

Go to the store and check the boxes! My twins were two months premature and one couldn't use a booster until she was almost 4. Most boosters used to be around 40 lbs. We got lucky and found one that was 35 according to the information on the box, and it made life a lot easier.

You have to wait until he's 4. Size isn't the issue as much as the age. At 4 they're a little more able to comprehend proper posture in a car seat, as well as yes, being big enough for a regular seat belt. If you're still not sure, check with your local police dept. Many of them have or know how to contact a car seat safety inspector that could help you.

There is a website that i use which is NHTSA which is for the national highway traffic saftey administation which gives guidelines for booster seats,car seats and many other links under their website. It states that the child should be in a booster seat until 8 years old or until they are 4ft and 9inches tall. I did not look up the standard for the car seat. look at the website,very useful information.

Hi E.,
I have the same exact issue with my son. He will be four in May. We did call the PA state police. They were adamant that you can not switch your child until he is age 4. That is the law in PA. They felt strongly that the longer you can keep a child in a carseat the better. For instance, if your child is old enough for a carseat but not large, keep he or she in the carseat for as long as possible.
Hope that helps.
K.

A little extra detail that my husband just shared with me.

Kids under 4 must ride in a federally-approved car seat with a 5 point seat belt. Riding in a booster seat under the age of 4 is against the law in PA, though, it is a secondary offense meaning an officer has to stop you for something else, like speeding, in order to give you a ticket. Exceptions are made for certain physical conditions, excessive height and weight included. I should note that the trooper that I spoke with emphasized that even after our children turn 4 we should try to keep them in a 5 point harness for as long as possible.

Children 4 to 8 years of age are required to use a booster seat.

Children between 8 and 18 must use a seat belt

The following is a link to a PA State Police webpage describing the child seat laws:

http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/cwp/view.asp?A=310&Q=1...

http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/best_bets.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122282276985092773.html

Hi,E.!
I understand your excitement about moving your son into a booster, but a car seat will be the safest place for him for a while to come still.

Car seat safety specialists suggest that a child stay in a 5 pt. restraint until a MINIMUM of 4 years old AND 40 lbs.

PLEASE take the time to watch the following video clips:

*** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ ***

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04

http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/4211/Car_Seat_Safety...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4xhLYXtnsE

To have your seats checked (to make sure that they are installed & are being used properly), please visit:
http://www.seatcheck.org/ to find a CPST in your area.

Blessings to you & your family!

My daughters are three and four. I thought they were too big for their 5 point car seat. So I bought them the boosters with the back. They are not safe. The children are too young to understand the importance of wearing the seatbelt correctly. One day I turned around at a stop sign my daughter was sleeping and she had completely fallen over in the seat. If their were an accident she would have been hurt. Look into a new 5 point harness seat belt. Eddie Bauer makes a nice big one I hold up to 100pds and has nice features. My daughters love the built in cup holders. Just because the booster with the back is cheaper to buy then a larger car seat ask yourself what is your childs safety worth.

E.,

Please check out CHOP's website..they have done extensive studies on crashes and injuries...and they have a great site on when you should switch and what types of seats and how they should be installed. Also as others have stated it is a law in PA that child must be in a seat until 4 year of age and the they need to be in a booster until they are 8 years old.

call you local state pa police barracks for car seat checks or safekids.org or 1800 seat belt.

be safe!!

Hi E., it all depends on his weight and his dependability to stay in the booster. I switched my girls over as they got close to the weight limit for their car seat (I think it was 40 pounds.) Best wishes

Check this previous post and there have been others too:

http://www.mamasource.com/request/13015974669147176961/11...

Please, please, please, in spite of others that offer their references, go to a car seat check in your area. They're free and well worth the time. I attended one when I thought I could put my son in a backless booster and the officer pointed out that since my backseat does NOT have headrests--I need to keep the back on his. SO MANY people are ill-informed about proper car seat use!
I urge you to find a free checkpoint in your area, make the time and GO! You can start at:
www.seatcheck.org After all, safety i the most important factor! Good luck!

My son outgrew his 5 point harness seat shortly after he turned 3. So, he has been in a booster ever since. However, the rule of thumb from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is that most kids are good for a booster seat at either age 4 or 40 lbs. This is only a recommendation not a law.

Here is what I recommend....if your son's shoulders are at or above the highest strap holes in the current seat, then it should be okay for him to go to the booster seat. Just make sure you get one that has a back. Your son is still too young to be in a backless booster seat.

I was reading responses to a similiar question yesterday, and came across one Mom's suggestion to view a video on youtube addressing the issue of when it's safe to switch from a 5 point harness seat to a booster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

Please watch the video! I think you will find it answers your question.

Best wishes

We had a high back booster seat with our youngest that we got when she was a little over a year old. It still had the five point harness for her and then when she outgrew that part you could take the straps out and use the regular seat belt. There were notches in the car seat itself for the seat belt to go into depending on her height so it was positioned correctly. We used that up until she was out of it just a few months ago.

Unless he is age 4 AND 40 pounds he needs to be in a 5 point harness.

Might I recommend the Britax Marathon for your son. It accommodates taller children very well and when he moves into the booster your daughter can use it. They are well worth the money.