When to move to high back booster

[MissTinaTeaspoon]

hello

My dd is 3.4 and just over 15kg. She's currently in a maxi cosi axiss (which I have been very happy with) in my car and a nania stage 0-1 in dh's car. I'm wondering when to put her into a high back booster? Which is safer? I had always assumed it was safer to keep her in the stage 1 seats but my friend moved her son at 15kg because of the risk of leg injuries in an accident if he'd got his legs lifted up and touching the seat in front.
Tia.

[TruthSweet]

I've just posted on another thread about this but i'll happily repeat myself

A child in a booster controls how safe they are - if they mess about or reach for a toy or play with the seat belt they could get seriously injured or worse if at the moment of them reaching down to get their toy the car breaks sharply or is involved in an accident.

A child in a harnessed seat's safety is controlled by the parents and how well they install the seat and adjust the harness.

Do you think your 3y/o is capable of understanding that she must sit still for the whole journey and not move or even slouch in the seat otherwise she could get hurt? Most children only develop this level of understanding by 5+ so it's possible she does have this level of understanding but most children don't at this age.

DD1 went into a HBB at 5y/o when she was able to understand why she had to sit still and not mess with the seat belt. She can manage to get to the in-laws with out problems (45min journey) but when she had a temper tantrum there and DH took her home she went rfing & harnessed in her sister's Britax Two Way Elite as I didn't trust her whilst she was having a tantrum to sit still.

[MissTinaTeaspoon]

That's what I thought...I'm going to carry on as we are until she's either 18kg or her eyeline is at the top of the seat.

Thanks

[moonbells]

DS (3.7) is in an Axiss too though is tall and skinny so is likely to grow up out of it faster than out of the weight limit. We will miss it when it goes - we are two older parents with back problems and we really like having a turnable seat! DS can now do it up himself, apart from the pulling tight.

I have an imported, brand new RF/FF Sunshine Kids Radian 65 ready for when he grows out of the Axiss, though he could technically go into the Radian now as long as we don't do up the chest strap (which isn't allowed in the EU under the age of 4 ISTR). It's a 5-point harness seat capable of going up to 30kg so hopefully he will be in that for a few more years before we need the dreaded booster!

[TruthSweet]

The chest clip is an integral part of the safety features of the car seat so not using it isn't recommended and it might be unsafe to use like that.

If you have already imported it use it as instructed even if it goes against EU regs (that a seat must have a one stage unbuckling procedure) as there's no point having a technically illegal seat that isn't used properly.

I'd love this Radian in Flora though so I'm you got it imported!

[moonbells]

Nodding about the chest clip - it's one reason I'm actually waiting till he's 4 so I can use the seat as I choose!

I didn't get it imported so much as lug it back from a business trip... :) I made sure I only had hand luggage when I went out, found a store on the web, used a bit of spare time to go and get it and then hauled it back as hold luggage!

I was just a bit disappointed they didn't have any 80XTs in stock, but the 65 will do at a pinch! I was getting quite scared at the prospect of having to get a booster seat and DS submarining or popping out the top...