AIBU to say the new booster seat law totally confuses me?

[CharlieDimmocksbosoms]

Just that really. I know from April the law changes on what age/weight/height child can use a booster seat but can someone clearly explain it for me please?

[CharlieDimmocksbosoms]

Does anyone use a Bubblebum?

[Braceybracegirl]

My daughter is small but can not fit into a high backed booster. Her shoulders won't fit and she is small for her age.

[HarryPottersMagicWand]

DS is 140cm and still using a high back booster. He is the only one in his class who does and he hates it and I know he feels its babyish. Not helped by a mum who openly scoffed about it. But I know it's safer. It won't fit for much longer as the headrest is as high as it will go and his shoulders are almost at the point where the seatbelt tucks in.

I know in Europe the height is 150cm, do posters on here let them stop using high backs or even booster cushions after 135cm? I'm in the UK btw.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

I'm in the uk Harry. As I said upthread dd is on a high back booster. She's 144ish cm. I don't give a flying fuck about what other parents say. There have been a couple of comments from other kids. Dd knows she's in it because she's safe. She'd rather not. But I tell her there's only one of her and she's very precious and special.

[Nabootique]

Ugh. So I've bought a high backed booster we all hate for no reason. Grrrr.

[MammyNeedsASpaDay]

Going to throw a real spanner in the works here

If you have three kids and can't actually fit three car seats in a car (my life right now) you don't have to have a booster of any kind but the seatless child has to be in the middle between the two seats. We spend a fortune on our big car but our second car we do this.

[Artandco]

Mammy - you can fit three car seats in a car. You just need to get slim types ie diono is a slim brand

[Egoanono]

My main issue, are we to assume than no back boosters are unsafe if a child is under 125cm?

[BertieBotts]

Ego they won't suddenly become less safe of course but yes that's the implication. If you look at how the shoulder belt fits a child shorter than 125cm you'll see the problem. To fit properly it should pass over their collarbone and not rub on the neck. Without this there is a danger the child won't be properly restrained. You also see dangerous practices such as children with the diagonal part behind them or with the shoulder belt tucked under their arm. Neither of these are safe.

Which? have been urging parents to stop using backless boosters full stop for quite a while now.

For the poster who asked, we're in germany, DS is about 137cm now but still in high backed booster, when he rides on a backless booster he often fidgets and moves around so he's not in the seat properly and it makes me nervous. However his HBB headrest is in the highest potion so I think he'll outgrow it this year. It has made me relax when he's transported with friends knowing he could legally go without back home. Normal seatbelts do fit him just about now but not perfectly.

[Funnyfarmer]

I only know how many stones and ft my dc's are 🤔

[BertieBotts]

Google will convert it fir you

[BertieBotts]

Since I have it handy.

25kg = a bit less than 4 stone.

125cm = a bit more than 4 foot.

[BertieBotts]

135cm is 4'5"

[Reality16]

i find it strange that people are keen to keep using backless booster seats me too. My youngest is 7 and has been in a HBB since she was about 4. It never crossed my mind to use a silly booster cushion just because I could, obviously the better option was the HBB. Hers also attached to the ISOfix points which ensures no slipping.

[BubbleWrapQueen]

My 10 year old who is about 5ft has just come out of his backless booster. Ds2 is nearly 9, 140cm and still on a backless. He came out of the high back about ten months ago. They wouldn't fit in HBB now, but know it's a minimum of age 10 to come off a booster with their height and weight and build. And that's being over cautious, as both could have come out completely at age 8 according to the 135cm rule

[BertieBotts]

The backless are more convenient especially if you don't have a car, so I can understand wanting to move to them ASAP but if you do have your own car, HBBs are the way to go IMO. You can get a decent one very cheaply, they're more comfy for DC and they help the seatbelt fit better without even going into the safety aspects. What's not to like?

[PinkSwimGoggles]

my 10 yo is still in a hbb.
nearly 150 tall
but

• we drive a lot in mainland europe where it's mandatory (and fines are one the spot and hefty)
  
• it's much much safer than without (look at some crash test videos!)

[littledinaco]

m.youtube.com/watch?v=N8hlFdEH0Cc

This shows difference in crash between HBB and booster cushion.
I do find it strange that a lot of parents seem more concerned over what is legal than what is safer.

[Bestthingever]

Regardless of the law, what is the safest option? That's what really matters.

[BertieBotts]

Yes, and that is a booster cushion with a dummy which fits the seatbelt properly. Shorter, smaller children don't.

[MummyTheGregor]

www.mifold.com

what about these??

[1stWorldProblems]

1. we have Bubblebums but only for taking in taxis (as a backless booster is better than none at all) or when we need a third seat in the middle of our car. My DD's say it's pretty comfy but prefer their high-back boosters as you don't get thrown around in them (unlike on any backless booster).
   
   The law change hasn't yet got a finalised date!!! It was originally going to be some time last year, then Feb & now April but there's still nothing on the Government's website which was last updated on 3rd January 2017. This page from ROSPA is pretty informative but even they haven't been given a definite date for the legislation changes. It's a bit of a mess really & just remember that even a backless booster seat is better than none at all.

[Passthecake30]

I agree with pp, my kids are narrow so fit fine in their highbacked boosters, but I've tried to get their friends in them at times and their shoulders stop that happening completely (at 8-9yrs old)

[Iggi999]

My 9 year old is the only child in the world not allowed to sit booster-free in the front seat of the car.
Apparently.

[Enidblyton1]

The purpose of the law change is obviously to increase safety. But in reality nobody will HAVE to do anything differently from April, because the new rules only apply to seats purchased from that date. In reality nobody will know when you purchased a particular car seat and it will be impossible to police.

I expect in a couple of years time it will be illegal for a child under 125cm to use a backless booster full stop (except in a middle seat where a high back wouldn't fit) - but law changes always have to happen gradually to allow parents to make the change with minimal financial burden.