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When did you completely get rid of a car seat.

62 replies

beanbum · 03/03/2023 13:46

I have a 9yo still in one is this normal? I live out the way and worry but I can see a few of their friends no longer have one and wondered what's normal.

OP posts:
Seeline · 03/03/2023 13:49

My DD finally grew enough to be out of her high back booster the summer before secondary school...

stargirl1701 · 03/03/2023 13:50

DD1 is still in one at 10 and a half years old. She is not yet 150cm and the seatbelt does not sit correctly without a car seat.

Pubesofsoberness · 03/03/2023 13:51

At 9 almost 10 . But that was because ds 1 borrowed it for dgd and hasn't given it back , also I don't drive so rarely goes in the car

I think my older dcs it was between year 5 and year 6 though

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LaFemmeDamnee · 03/03/2023 13:51

What height is your child? DD is 8 and was complaining that her high back booster was digging down into her shoulders. We took her to Halfords for a bigger one and measured her and found she was already over the height limit, so we haven't bothered.

hellodarknessmyoldfriend22 · 03/03/2023 13:53

At the end of the day if they still fit it's much safer with one so I wouldn't worry.

LaFemmeDamnee · 03/03/2023 13:53

stargirl1701 · 03/03/2023 13:50

DD1 is still in one at 10 and a half years old. She is not yet 150cm and the seatbelt does not sit correctly without a car seat.

The limit is 135cm in the UK

Marblessolveeverything · 03/03/2023 13:54

My eldest was over the 150cm by age 8 and my youngest at age 9. Both able to comfortably wear seat belt appropriately and more comfortable without the digging in of the shoulder /head area.

WorriedMillie · 03/03/2023 13:56

DD is just turned 10 and still in one, the seatbelt doesn’t sit at the safe level without her being boosted. I haven’t measured her for a while, but she’s fairly short compared to her friends

FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 03/03/2023 13:56

Dd3 was 8 I think, but she was very tall for her age.

OhWifey · 03/03/2023 13:59

@LaFemmeDamnee

Legal minimum is 135cm to be without a seat. Legal doesn't always equal safe. Expert consensus is that the safe minimum is 150cm

Marchforward · 03/03/2023 14:01

LaFemmeDamnee · 03/03/2023 13:53

The limit is 135cm in the UK

135 cm is the legal minimum. 150 cm in line with what most car seats fit up to, most European laws and it’s much safe to be in one until then.

EspeciallyDedicated · 03/03/2023 14:02

Around the time of starting secondary school for both mine.

TeenDivided · 03/03/2023 14:02

DD was in one until secondary school. She still wasn't 150cm by then.

QuietlyConfident · 03/03/2023 14:03

Something bonkers like 12 for the high back boosters. DC didn't object, there was no situation in which their school friends would have seen them in the car and taken the piss, so we just kept them in them until they were about 5 foot and the seatbelt fit better without the booster than with it.

BertieBotts · 03/03/2023 14:04

Legal minimum is 135cm or 12 years old, many people stop using them earlier, not realising that they are still required. You can be fined if you stop using one before this height/age.

Best practice: In fact between 135-150cm, it highly depends on the car and the child whether you'll get a safe belt fit for them. The lap belt is the important part, it should run over their pelvis, which is a strong bone. If they are too short, then it will be up on their tummy, which is soft and squishy and full of organs that you really don't want crushed against a seatbelt if you had a crash.

Note that for many children at the upper end of booster age, the seatbelt will fit properly if they scoot their bum right to the back of the seat, but their legs are still too short to bend over the edge. As a result, they scoot forward in order to bend their knees to be comfy and this causes the lap belt to come out of place onto their tummy.

So check for whether they can sit with their bum back and legs bent, and whether the belt fits properly. It will likely be different in different cars. If they feel self conscious, a backless booster is better than nothing, but high back (used properly) offers the best protection.

If you are using a high back, check that the headrest is set properly and the diagonal belt is clipped into the shoulder guide, this should then run over the child's shoulder crossing the collarbone. If it's across their arm it's too low, if it's against their neck it's too high.

High back or backless, the lap belt should run under the "arms" of the booster and the diagonal belt should go under on the buckle side too.

Brendabigbaps · 03/03/2023 14:05

nine and a half here when she literally got to 135cm. She was counting down the days and had me measure her regularly.
i know of kids who were 8 but they were big kids and a car seat wasn’t comfortable.

GrouchyKiwi · 03/03/2023 14:05

DD1 is 11 and still uses a cushion booster as she's more comfortable (not sure how tall she is). Though we were in NZ recently and didn't bother sourcing a booster for her there and she was fine. She still prefers the booster.

shouldawooda · 03/03/2023 14:06

I am keeping mine in until 150cm - I think they will be about 10 and 11/12 based on their respective growth charts.

beanbum · 03/03/2023 14:07

Thanks they're tall enough to be legally out of it but I prefer them being in it especially they are very slim and I think it's supports them more.
They haven't complained and it raises them up nicely so they see more out the window anyway but when their friends come their friends ask why we still have car seats as well so I wondered if I am hanging onto it for longer than is normal. but it's good to know others still use them. Dc travels over 100 miles every week easily in it so I've always thought probably best leave them in it

OP posts:
Grumpybutfunny · 03/03/2023 14:07

DS is over 135cm so we got rid of the back off his booster and just use the booster cushion in my car. We let him jump in without if just going round the corner in DH car as it's a SUV and the seats seem a lot flatter so seat belt sits better.

Ducksurprise · 03/03/2023 14:09

I do find it weird parents worry much more about stranger danger/drugs/stabbings/insert anything else but the most likely death or serious injury is due to road accidents and a well fitting car seat can drastically alter the outcome.

Mine were in car seats for as long as safely possible. I don't care if it isn't cool

greenacrylicpaint · 03/03/2023 14:10

when dc reached the limit if the hbb. which is 150cm. so around 10yo in our case.

we were driving a lot in europe where it's the law to have dc in a car seat until 150cm or 12 years old.

EatingWormsMichael · 03/03/2023 14:12

I've just removed the back of our car seat for my 8.5 year old, so he has a booster cushion now. He is over 135cm.

I think we are some of the later ones to do this based on looking around on the school run, mind you some parents seem to use front seat too and I'm not comfortable with that.

Murraydeservedit · 03/03/2023 14:17

My dd has just turned 9 and is still in a high backed booster.

She hates it. She’s the only one of her friends still using one.

Shes no where near the hight to be out of one though, she’s not tiny, but she’s not tall either.

It’s safer for her so I’m using it.

PIL think we are bonkers. I’ve got my 2.7 year old rear facing and dd in her seat, the make out like it’s akin to child abuse.

ProseccoOnIce · 03/03/2023 14:20

DD is desperate to be out of one & just 135cm - am keen to keep it till 150cm

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