When did you get rid of car seats all together?

[JuneOsborne]

Wwyd? My Ds is tall (takes after me) and is just about 150cm tall at 9. His car seat is extended to the tallest height.

DH is saying it's time it went. I just feel safer with him in it. But, legally he's allowed to travel without it and he's started noticing that other kids his age don't have one.

When did you ditch the car seat?

DS1 grew out of his hbb about 140cm. Didnt fit my carseats without a booster til he was closer to 150cm. So had about a year with nothing in DHs car, and a booster in mine.
DS2 is 10, and has just moved onto the booster in my car. He hasnt been in DHs car recently.

So e of these replies are worrying, just because it's the legal height minimum doesn't mean it's safest!

My 7 year old still rear faces sometimes, he's 127cm so not far off the legal limit but no way will he be out of a car seat before 150cm. Other countries have higher limits (and much more robust car seat safety testing), our children are no different to Swedish children for example so why are people desperate to get rid of car seats so early?

My daughter has just turned 4 and has never been in a forward facing car seat. Children's bodies aren't strong enough until at least 4 years old to be safely forward facing in an accident. Car seat safety is something I'm passionate about, and try to spread the word as the laws here are so basic compared to other countries!

My daughter will be in her rear facing car seats till she is 23kg or 125cm which ever comes first. Only then will she go into a high back booster which is currently looking like 8 years old. A different seat might have a better hight option as just a booster cushion you lose all the side impact protection.

Good topic and thanks to those sharing the info re: Europe and 150cm. I did not know that. My ds is 8 and 125cm. I see kids from year 1 up arriving in school, no car seat and sitting in the front with an adult belt on. It makes me cringe. Every event I get urged to lift share and have had to forcefully decline as I know lift share means multiple kids leaping into the car with no car seats and adult belts on. I just can’t entertain this. I’ll make significant adjustments to my life to get my child places in my own car with an isofix seat. The police could have a field day at child related events. I just ignore and do what I think is best for my child however I’ve been shocked at the sheer persistence of other parents who want to include me in car shares. They don’t want to take no for an answer and these are parents who will, at birth, have studied Which reports to select a baby seat 🤷🏻‍♀️

@MinesAPintOfTea

About 7/140cm

I couldn’t get the back of it up higher to make the seatbelt fit how it should to be safe.

You do know there are plenty of adults who are 150cm, right?

This. I have a friend who is around 5 foot nothing and is quite amused by the dact that kids her height have to use car seats.

I’m just over 5ft. In plenty of cars the seat belt doesn’t sit properly on me or cuts over my neck. But at least my body is fully developed.

The sad truth is seat belts are tested against the size of adult men. Just because some adults (mainly women) are shorter and the seat belt doesn’t work properly for them doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep protecting children for as long as possible while their bodies develop

Absolutely @Sirzy - I just don’t understand why people don’t take child car safety more seriously.

@Lavender2021

My daughter will be in her rear facing car seats till she is 23kg or 125cm which ever comes first. Only then will she go into a high back booster which is currently looking like 8 years old. A different seat might have a better hight option as just a booster cushion you lose all the side impact protection.

This is my concern. I like the side impact protection that a HBB affords.

I've decided to keep him in it. He seems comfortable still and I wasn't sure before I started this thread, but now I am.

I'll keep it under review and I've saved that infographic.

Thanks all