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.

If your son is not at the height requirement to no longer need a car seat, then you continue using one. I believe it's 135 cm, is when they can just use a normal seat belt, and as it's height based, some children will reach that height quicker than others. I'd ignore what other parents do, they aren't responsible for your son, you are. A lot of parents are completely ignorant of the laws regarding car seats/booster seats and also when it comes to a child sitting in the front passenger seat too. Tell your son he's not yet reached the legal minimum height, to no longer use a car seat, and until he does, he will need to use one. The law after all, is not there for no reason!

My son is 8.5 and 133cm and in a booster seat. He will stay there until he hits 135cm just like his sister. His friends have mostly been out of any sort of seat for quite a while. I still ask whenever I I drive another child as I have several spare booster seats so it's no trouble to bring one, but I haven't expected my kids to be in a seat in someone else's car unless they offer.

The abrupt shift from a million car seats to children... just sitting in the car was quite a shock. They suddenly look so much older!

My almost 10 year old has only just hit 135cm and is in a HBB. None of her friends have been in one for years even though some of them are shorter than her. I'm going for 150cms which is the minimum in most of Europe (likely in our bigger car) or when the seat doesn't fit (soon in our smaller car as the roof of tge car is low in the back). She will fit the adult seats better in the smaller car as they are shallower. She likes to be different and doesn't mind at all!

My 10 year old is still in a HBB. She’s only 123cm though. And likes the sides to lean her head on, so she’s quite happy with it.
A lot of her friends still use boosters, even those quite a lot taller.

My DDs had Britax HBBs which were up to 150cm; DD1 outgrew hers at 12 and DD2 outgrew hers at 13 and 3/4 (and they happily used them until they were too big for them because they found them more comfortable than just the seat belt).

YABU.
Unless your son is very very short, it's actually probably safer for him to NOT have a car seat now he's getting bigger.

My DS is 11, hes quite tall and he outgrown his car seat at 7.
Only my 7 year old DD is still in one, shes quite short so might have to be in it a bit longer.

My dd is nearly 10, and still in a car seat, she's just under 135cm. She accepts her safety is paramount, and it is in her best interests. I do think she is the last in her year (5) to still have the car seat. I'll probably keep her in it til the end of Y6, as I did for her brother, though he his 150cm before then, and she is more petite than him, so maybe she'll still be in it beyond primary.
I think our laws are crap. I had mine RF for the maximim time I could, too.

See, my DS is 9 and over 135 cm but I still have him in a HBB in our car - although not in family members’ cars as the seat belts seem to fit him fine in theirs. But in ours, without the HBB, the seat belt doesn’t sit across his chest and shoulder, but rather across his neck and chest. He looks too big for a car seat but too short in his torso for an adult seatbelt to work safely.

We plan to change our car this year and I’ll be interested to see how he fits in other cars. He’s definitely in the minority as a lot of his friends had ditched car seats as early as end Year 3.

I've witnessed a 9yr old come flying out of a car window (he was sat in the front with no booster seat) and land head first in front of a lorry....
I would much rather my child be laughed at but be fucking ALIVE

My granddaughter has just stopped using a highback booster. She's nearly 11 and is 142cm tall.

Incorrect. In most other European countries the minimum height for no car seat or high back booster is 150cm. Cars and the human body aren’t different in other countries! I've witnessed a child's death whilst sat in a car aged 9 with absolutely nothing but a seatbelt.
Nope. Not doing it.

My 7 year old is 135cm tall and still in a HBB. Probably until he maxes it out at 150cm. It goes on height so just tell them that.

Backless boosters have no side impact protection.what if you have a tall child who could legally use nothing stage 7? You wouldn’t do that.

Ideal placement of the seatbelt and side impact protection.

My children are 12 and 9. My 12 year old has just come out of his booster in the last 2 months. He is 145cm. I followed the guidance below because I know as a short person, that cars aren't designed with our safety in mind. I'm 5ft 2 and the damn car seat belt doesn't fit me properly and honestly, sometimes I feel like I should be able to get an adult booster seat! Now my son is obviously shorter than me, but in the back the belts fitted me better. I can sit safely in the back. But not as the sodding driver!
My 9 year old is over 135cm also, but having checked him, he's nowhere near able to sit safely in the back. So he will be a similar age to his brother I'd imagine.
Also, worth bearing in mind that just because they can sit correctly in one car, doesn't mean they can in another. So if travelling in a different car, I'd just do this quick check below.
BTW I didn't extend rear face or anything. I'm not a car seat zealot. Just a short person who knows that car manufacturers design cars for men!

My eldest (almost-ten year old) still uses her Britax HBB. She is the smallest in her class (under 135cm) and has never questioned it, and I'd honestly never considered it an issue before this thread. Her two best friends (both taller boys) are still in their HBBs too, although I have noticed a LOT of her classmates getting into the front seat without even a booster seat and I'll admit, I do judge a bit. Lots of dodgy country lanes and blind bends around here, and there's no way it's worth taking that risk for the sake of looking 'cool'.

I suspect my younger kid might be uncomfortable with the booster at a younger age than big sis. She is willowy with most of height in legs, more comfortable in the HBB at 9 (but we have let her go in the middle seat with 3 point belt when giving others lifts).

Younger has much more width to his shoulders and more height in his back, he might well not fit the HBB for shoulder width before he's at height for no booster.

Both seem to like the headrest option, I'd quite like it too for when I'm not driving, looks way more comfortable for a relaxing doze!

I think we stopped around age ten but I do remember massive peer pressure over it

It is legal to take the seat away at 135 but it’s not the safest choice.

It’s not a target, it’s a minimum.

My son is 135cm at age 7 and has loads of room left. I bought one that would last him.

I always wonder about the 150cm and car seats. Does that mean shorter adults should be using car seats? What about if they are the driver?

You assume all crashes are forward/backward, ie head on/rear end.

They are not.

Someone smashing into the side of your car will potentially smash the persons head against the window, having experienced that as an adult in a pretty low speed impact, it's deeply unpleasant and my seatbelt did fuck all about the movement of my head.

It's not only the height. An adult has a different bone density, making accidents impacts different.

And the driver and passenger seats very often have features to raise the seat and adjust the seatbelts. You don't have this in the back.

You have front airbags, again not in the back, you would either go straight through the middle or end up against the driver/passenger seat if the seatbelt is not keeping you back.