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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think 7 & 8 year olds need car seats

214 replies

justalittlelemondrizzle · 02/05/2016 23:58

My 7 & 8yo dds use booster seats in the car. Ive been shocked recently with people not bothering to use them. Dds were taken out last week by a friend. I asked if I should get the dd's seats and they said its fine as their 6yo doesn't need one anymore so my dds will be fine as theyre taller than her. Luckily dd's insisted they wanted their seats so I avoided a potentially awkward convo. I'm not one to preach to people about their parenting.
Another friend gave my eldest a lift home the other day, when she was dropped off, I went to the car and she wasn't sat on a booster and neither was her dd or 6yo son!
I took dds friend out today and she got in the back in the middle seat with no seat, I had a spare seat in the front for her and she moved but said she hadnt sat in one of these for ages.
These are all different children btw and none of them are taller than my eldest who is 125cm.
Is this the norm? Are people just not that fussed or am I OTT?

OP posts:
Artandco · 03/05/2016 17:29

You can hire car seats with a car hired.

2 year old here - would be in extended rear facing with 5 point harness

4 year old here - would be in either same as 2 year old or just moved to high back booster

Strokethefurrywall · 03/05/2016 18:12

See I just can't see myself and millions of other visitors to the UK for a week or two every 4 years, splurging money on a HBB (which we have to ship on island here so is disgustingly expensive), or the cost of hiring a booster from a rental place (which amounted to one booster seat at $60 per day when we checked last year).

Both my kids are forward facing and were from a year old, I don't know one person here who rear faces once the kids are old enough to face forward.

Figure by the time we come back again, DS1 will be tall enough to just be on the regular booster seat.

Iggi999 · 03/05/2016 18:36

You'd be cheaper buying them when you got over here.
Though funnily I don't see a car seat as a "splurge", though an overseas trip might be!

Strokethefurrywall · 03/05/2016 18:47

Unfortunately it is a splurge when the cost to ship it here is $300 because of the size of the box, plus the cost of the seat + customs.

The thing is, regular boosters are the norm here, nobody would really think to check what restrictions there are if they're travelling overseas. Insofar as assuming kids need a car seat or booster - many wouldn't think to check if regulations change.

specialsubject · 03/05/2016 18:48

I'm guessing that UK traffic levels are rather higher than on a Caribbean island.

if you can afford to come halfway round the planet you can afford to hire a car seat. Or take trains and taxis. Or if you are visiting relatives, get them to buy/borrow. It's not hard really.

Iggi999 · 03/05/2016 18:52

Well I wouldn't pay €300 either, get them over here.
I think people do need to check all regulations when driving in other countries, in France you have to carry high vis vests, would never have thought of that without checking.

Ouryve · 03/05/2016 19:07

Those who don't understand the point of bacless boosters, we kept ds1 in his until 135cm, but by that point, he simply could not sit back comfortably in it. His shoulders were far too wide. Our car had quite tall back seats, so the seatbelt cut across his neck and didn't fit him properly at all. So, the solution was a backless booster, which he used until his backside was simply too big for it. (No, he's not fat, just very broad shouldered)

And this is what the new guidelines are for

BombadierFritz · 03/05/2016 19:08

Its just part of holiday planning. We are going abroad in the car this summer so we need to buy high vis vests, first aid kit, warning triangle, and read up on car seat regs. We would have needed to buy a seat i guess if we were following uk guidelines. Last time we flew n hired we just bought one as it was cheaper than hiring. Thats life

Strokethefurrywall · 03/05/2016 19:10

Yes Iggi, that's what I'm saying, people just wouldn't think to check the regulations if the regulations in their current country are pretty standard (I wouldn't think about hi-vis vests either.)

And no it's not hard for me because I can afford it but not everyone would be able to and not everyone would think to check regulations if they keep changing!
One minute they can be forward facing, then they have to be rear facing until they're 4 and now they have to be in a high back booster until they're 25. It's hard to keep up.

Bathlover · 03/05/2016 19:28

I think a big point is not all HBB are the same.

People buy them for kids when they are around 3 or 4 (it was a while a go so can't quite remember!) and don't imagine they'll have a lump of a 9 year old in them.

Not many are made with a decent shoulder width. But some are. The cybex ones linked earlier in for example are wider.

I lucked out getting one half price from mamas and papas sale a year earlier than I needed. 4 years in it looks like new.

If you buy a HBB that is the cheaper end of the line it is likely to be pretty narrow at the shoulder part. So yes your 9+ year old might be too broad.

my 8 year old tried the whole 'my friends only have a booster/ no car seat' I showed him the crash test dummy videos of with and without car seats / booster etc.

He didn't mention it again, he gets its the safest and that's what I choose for him.

m0therofdragons · 03/05/2016 19:47

We took 3 car seats with us from UK to Canada free as the airline allowed it and will do the same for going to Italy using dd's luggage allowance weight and packing lightly. We found hiring 3 car seats was more than the car and they couldn't confirm for sure they'd have the right seats available as we needed 3.

pilpiloni · 03/05/2016 19:56

My 9.5 year old still sits in a backless booster. The seat belt fits her much better when she's sitting on one so I use it. We have the inflatable one for when we travel so it really is no hassle to use one (unlike the ginormous car seat for her little sister)

witsender · 03/05/2016 20:22

Bar a few school mums most people I know use 'proper' seats, including a few extended rear facers.

Ivegotyourgoat · 03/05/2016 20:49

Ok I'm confused, can anyone advise.

Ds is 8, he's 138cm (4 feet 6), and weighs 5 stone (31.7kg).

Does he definitely still need a booster seat? I've had a check of the seatbelt today, his feet easily touch the floor in the car.

I can't really find any guidance online for his age/height.

Ivegotyourgoat · 03/05/2016 20:54

We have a high back booster which converts into a booster cushion. I'd stopped using both recently after realising he'd reached the 135cm. Reading this thread I've put it back in, but I'm not sure now. He says the seatbelt digs into his neck on the booster, he doesn't complain of this without it.

SovietKitsch · 03/05/2016 21:00

My 2 older DCs stayed in their high-back boosters til they we about 135-140 cm, so in they case some time before they were 8. They then moved straight to using the adult car seat. Their shoulders got too broad, or I'd have kept them in a bit longer...

MrsHathaway · 03/05/2016 21:02

Ivegot he's the same size as my 7yo. Doesn't have to be on a booster; is safer on it though.

Did you run through the five points I listed above?

MummyBex1985 · 03/05/2016 21:03

DH stopped using car seats in his new car because he didn't like the look of them.

I went ape when I found out and bought some more as he chucked them away. Hmm

tethersend · 03/05/2016 21:05

What will other non- drivers do when backless boosters are banned? The DDs currently have Trunki backpacks for when we get the occasional taxi, lift etc.- I'm assuming they will no longer be able to use them?

Ivegotyourgoat · 03/05/2016 21:23

Mrshathaway I haven't I just put the booster in before the school run. I did note them though. Will do a thorough check tomorrow.

I'm not bothered about what they look like or being babyish, I just want ds to be safe and comfortable in the car.

I just don't understand why the law says 135cm if it's still safer with a booster, surely the law should be in line with optimum safety.

I didn't realise booster cushions were so useless either.

specialsubject · 03/05/2016 21:39

repeat; backless boosters are not being banned. The height/weight limits are changing

if you've already got one you can keep using it.

ignore rumours!!

goat two seconds to find this:

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/using-a-child-car-seat-or-booster-seat

your kid doesn't need a booster.

Ivegotyourgoat · 03/05/2016 22:24

I've read that already. I know by law he doesn't need one but loads of people saying here high back boosters past 135cm.

witsender · 03/05/2016 22:28

You might be able to keep using it, but would you really want to?

ImNotThatGirl · 03/05/2016 23:22

FlowersandShit One day, ^you* might be driving with your child and you find yourself having to slam on your brakes because of a dangerous manoeuvre from another driver. Watch your small offspring - with their still growing delicate bones - catapult forwards and then, read your post back.

stilllovingmysleep · 04/05/2016 06:32

Imnothatgirl it's not needed surely to write such a nasty post! Flowersandshit is entitled to a different opinion.

As to what I think about this. Even though I agree generally with the usefulness of car seats, I do think there's generally a massive emphasis in current society on total elimination of risk in every field that needs attention - thinking about. Yes we can reduce risk for our children and ourselves but ultimately risk is always a part of life and there's a balance to be considered. I am not referring here to car seats but making a general point. I do think this point needs to be kept in mind in all such discussions about risk. (there are many useful books about these ideas on risk and how we have become a society obsessed with eliminating all risk at all cost).