To still use a car seat for my 10 year old?

[ExcitedButNervous0424]

My son has recently turned 10 and still uses a high backed booster.

When I mentioned this to my friend the other day, whose son is a few months younger than mine, she practically laughed and said she can’t believes I still put my 10 year old in a car seat.

My son is always asking why he still has to use one as apparently, to quote him: “none of my friends do” but it’s always been non-negotiable for me. I always thought he was exaggerating when he said that none of his friends use car seats anymore (not even backless boosters) but judging from my friend’s reaction its made me wonder whether my son is actually right.

My friend said to think about how much I must be embarrassing my son when he has to use a HBB when his friends don’t use anything, but surely car safety isn’t about just letting him do what his friends do?

What’s the norm? Because her reaction really surprised me.

Seems a bit excessive to still have a 10 year old in a big car seat. But honestly you do you, whatever works best for your family

If he’s over 135cm he no longer has to use a car seat.

how tall is he?

My dc are both really tall, but mine haven't been in car seats of any sort since around 8 possibly younger. I don't know anyone personally who uses car seats for kids younger than about 7.

It goes by height. I have a 9 year old in a high back booster seat.
I also have a close family member who is a paramedic and explained the vast difference in her calls over the years with children in car accidents with vs without a seat. It's a no brainer for me.

He’s just under 132cm which is why I use one, but the son of my friend who found it amusing is smaller than my son. As are some of my son’s other friends who don’t use a car seat.

My friend was giving the impression that even if the child is still within the requirements of needing a car seat, that factor should be ignored at this age as it’s not “cool” for a child to use one (I.e her comment about me embarrassing my son).

I imagine this would be very embarrassing for him if you pick up his friends, and he has to get in his car seat. Unless he's really small, seems excessive, but if it's a non negotiable for you then do you.

I'd stick to obeying the law if I were you! Child car seats: the law: Using a child car seat or booster seat - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

My 10 YO goes in a high back car seat but she's small and below the 135cm. A high back is safer than a booster so until she's tall enough to not use a booster at all she'll stay in it. I don't think that's unusual, I haven't heard of kids not using them but I suspect a lot of your DS's friends are over 135cm and don't need to anymore.

Of course safety is more important that perception of “being cool”.

but 132 cm.. I mean.. the lad is 3 cm below the threshold for not having to use a car seat at all, and you’ve got him in a high-back ..

I think sometimes as parents we need to be allowed to just manage risk effectively. Like, it’s ok if we choose to make a judgement and say “3cms to go.. I think we are ok for a normal booster” etc

My 10 year old is still in a car seat. He isn't tall enough not to be yet.

Most of my 5 year old's friends aren't in them anymore. They hop into the car at home time and I'm stunned.

It's your child's safety. Not something to be messed with. If they were in an accident and severely hurt or worse you'd be so hard on yourself for not doing all you could to protect them surely

Your friend sounds like a bit of a knob!

You're right to still use one, because it's safer and it would be against the law not to. I think your son is probably correct that none of his friends still use one though. I have two DC in year 5, so age 10 or nearly 10, and I can't think of a single child that age still using one.

I always check with parents too when picking up his mates as it's a tricky in-between age. Not yet 12 and some not tall enough.

My friend’s son died in a car crash due to obtaining a catastrophic head injury when his head hit the inside of the car due to the impact (I.e his head hit the window and surrounding area with force) which is why the head protection aspect of a HBB is very important to me.

I hadn’t realised the 135cm rule until I realised all of my DS’s friends weren’t using a car seat any more, then I looked up the rules and realised he didn’t need to use it anymore! He was 9 and tbh he did look like he’d outgrown it. My nearly 8 year old is 132cm and in a booster seat, I am sticking by the rules.

My 11 year old is still in one he is about 130cm I'm pretty sure my (now adult) dd aged out before she grew out of her carseat

I’m surprised by the number of people who disregard these rule considering the UK rules are some of the least safe in Europe. My child is around 137 cm and will stay in her high back booster until she doesn’t fit or reaches 150 cm.

In year 6 or 7?

I work for a charity which deals with in car safety. UK Law says you don’t need a car seat after you are 135cm tall and we stress to the children that this is because safety is not to do with your age and how grown up you are as a person. Rather it is because car seat belts are designed for adults and if you are not tall enough they come across your body in the wrong place so can injure you in the event of an accident.
At age 10 a normal booster seat should be fine if your DC still hasn’t reached 135cm. But if they are worried about it or that their friends don’t think it’s cool, you could explain it to them that way.

Kept my dc in the yes roll they reached the height. Especially as they were both short and slight. Safety first!

“High back“ Until they reached the height

No I don't know any 10 year olds in them. Including all of the paramedics kids I know or have known at that age.

I didn’t realise they could stay in them until 150cm? Is that like an upper limit?

I assumed that once a child hits 135cm the HBB isn’t considered safe anymore?