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.

Mine will be in a car seat till they are 150cm like the rest of Europe. She is already 131cm at age 7 so the longer I can keep her in it the safer she will be. Why people think it's babyish astounds me, it's a safety item, like a seat belt is.

He's under the height limit.
The seat belt won't fit properly without it.

That’s how I feel. Completely baffled.

It’s like public image, or public norms are more important than safety and the Law?

It’s the minimum height in some European countries. They can stay in them until they no longer fit safely.

In lots of countries the rule is either 150cm or over 12 years old.

DD - tall for her age - found the booster comfortable and especially on longer journeys felt that the seatbelt wouldn't cut into her neck.

I think we got finally rid of it in Y6, she was just shy of 11.

Luckily she didn't care less what others thought of it.

150cm?? I'm only a few cm taller than this... A backless booster seat can be used for children 125cm and taller.

This surprises me, my eldest is 8.5 and 131.5cm tall and still in a high backed booster until he's 135cm tall. Youngest is only 126cm and a LOT lighter so will definitely be in his car seat (Joie Every Stage that he's had since he was born) until he's 135cm. I don't actually care what anyone things, their safety is paramount and the seats are far more protective in the event of an accident.

Dd1 id 9.5 and over 140 cm. Still have her in a high backed seat. She doesn't need to mention it to any of her friends if she is embarrassed and she will be in it for as long as possible as it is just so much safer. She has also begrudgingly admitted that it she can see more out the window sitting in it. She is tall but very slight so I think it would still be a great protection to her in a crash.

My 8 year old is over 135cm but still in a HBB. I don't really want to buy a different seat so he can stay in that one until he is uncomfortable then use the seat belt.

I am intrigued about how everyone seems to know about what other people do. I couldn’t tell you whether any of DS's classmates or kids at extra curriculars use car seats.

I think it depends on the make/ model, but as other countries have 150cm as the upper limit, I think lots make them so they can be sold in more places.

DS (137cm) uses a non backed booster most of the time, but will occasionally use a HBB in grandparents car, as it's already installed for a younger cousin. He's within the hight range to be safe, and it's OK for short journeys, but he finds it uncomfortable around his shoulders on longer trips

My son is nearly 10 and taller than yours and it seems like he's one of few who is still using a booster seat, never mind a high backed. From memory he stopped using the high backed age 6. My DD is still in it at age 7 but it's tall enough for a booster.

Yep. We used HBB to 150cm. At 130cm the seatbelt rested on Ds’s neck 🙄 Many of his peers’ parents moved way too quickly into the next stage seat as far as I was concerned. As if it were some ridiculous badge of maturity. I researched and kept him safe and endlessly preached about it on here.

"I am intrigued about how everyone seems to know about what other people do. I couldn’t tell you whether any of DS's classmates or kids at extra curriculars use car seats."

Either by walking past all of their cars, parked as close to school as humanly possible or by having been in theirs and friends cars.

I'm shocked that 70% are saying YABU for putting your son in a car seat when you're legally obliged to do so (and it's far safer). What wrong with people?

Well my children grew up with one parent an ICU consultant and the other an engineer whose specialty includes whole vehicle crash testing and seatbelt/seatbelt anchorage/pretensioner etc testing.
I will give you one guess what our attitude was if our children complained that their car seats weren't cool.

The safety insert that came with your car seat will have the information about when your child out grows the seat. My 9yr is already 150cm but he's still in a high back booster and still has a few inches before he outgrows it.
135cm maybe the law but it doesn't mean the kid is just as safe as with a car seat. Seat belts are not designed for short people or children.
There's a website, I think it's carseatsforlittles or something close to that. It has a lot of good information. Children should be able to sit with their bottom all the way back, knees over the edge, feet flat on the floor with the belt on their hips and not pressing on their neck to be out of a booster seat safely.

I don't understand this.A seat belt goes across the shoulder to prevent them moving. In a crash the head is flung forwards so I am not sure how a HBB helps that?

Really surprised by the responses here which don’t seem typical Mumsnet at all! (Though I think typical of the general public).
My nearly 11 year old is 135cm and out of the HBB for short journeys around town but will stay in as long as possible for higher speed or longer journeys. I know this isn’t completely logical but it’s the compromise we’ve reached with her as all her friends have been out of booster seats for ages - and a few are shorter than her.

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.

That's tragic and totally understand your viewpoint. However presumably you're not going to keep him in one forever....?

I have no idea 🤷‍♀️

Side impact would cause the child to be thrown sideways. The head rests on a HBB prevent the head from hitting the side of the car. This is why they're much safer.

I think you're maybe using the 'rules' to alleviate your own anxieties given what happened to your friends son. But I get it, because I do it too about various things. My nearly 5 year old isn't allowed various food stuffs because I'm worried she will choke (my own trauma). I have a friend who is obsessed with her kids wearing helmets, even literally when they're riding balance bikes on the grass at home which seems very excessive to me, but it makes her feel better so it's not my business. I think it's a small price to pay for you to feel safe and comfortable. Yeah a HBB is a bit 'uncool' but he'll get over it!

Side impact protection I believe.

My 12 year old was in one until 3 months ago. Cars are not designed to keep children safe. Really under 150 should be in a booster. There's heaps and heaps of data. Rear face until 4 then booster until 150. People are just ignorant and don't bother to research.

😂 No, but prior to my friend’s reaction I didn’t think I was doing something completely bizarre by having him in a car seat that he still legally requires 🤷‍♀️ Judging from this thread though I am being unreasonable to still have him in one.