WHEN IS A CHILD READY
TO TRANSITION TO A BOOSTER SEAT?
Slouching is dangerous as it puts the lap belt on the soft
belly which injures the abdominal organs and spinal cord.
Boosters also have design features that help the lap belt
start and stay on the lap during a crash. Many boosters use
arm rests to do this. Make sure if your booster has arm rests,
that the lap belt always goes under both arm rests.
A child must meet ALL of these requirements before they
can ride in this booster seat:
• at least 4 years old
• at least 40 pounds
• at least 39 inches tall
• able to sit properly in this booster seat during the entire
car ride - no slouching, no playing with the seat belt, no
putting the seat belt under the arm or behind the back, no
leaning over, etc.
Most children can not sit properly in a booster seat until
at least age 5. Sitting properly is what makes sure the seat
belt fits snugly and rests on the proper bony parts of the
body. If the child is not mature enough for a booster, they
need to ride in a car seat. The car seat's 5-point-harness will
keep them safe and won't let them slouch or lean over.
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