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.

My DS is 9 y/o and 138cm but we still use a high back seat, because why not?
I have wondered about it though because I know it’s a case of you CAN stop using them at 135cm, but does that mean you SHOULD?

You could get your rear windows tinted to save him the embarrassment

BTW normal cars just dual controlled the same as 17 year olds learn in😂

My 11 year old is in booster cushion and my 9 year old is in HBB. 11 year old is 150cm but doesn't meet the 5 point safety test.

People are very strange about wanting to move kids up and out of car seats. When DD17 was 1yo we had to buy an extended rear facing seat from a special needs company because you couldn't buy them mainstream here even though in other countries they were already widely used. Everyone else I knew moved their babies into forward facing aged 9 months and went on at me about how my 'poor' DD was facing backwards and couldn't see out the front. In fact she had a much better view out of the side and back, and in any case I was much more interested in her safety than her view!

Considering how many people worry unnecessarily about the extremely unlikely event of a car spontaneously bursting into flames at a petrol station when they've left their toddler inside, I find it odd they don't worry about the much more likely scenario of a high-speed car collision.

Why does it??

It's a choice but if he's below the minimum height then it's law. My daughter 10 and is 148cm maybe slightly taller she has not been in one for a long time. She is quite tall for her age in fairness (not from me lol) x

Because the entire argument OP is presenting about 10 year olds in car seats is because of their height!

I see some children without seat belts on. Is that cool?

No that’s completely not cool.

Dd was on a high back booster until she was 10, then on a booster cushion until she was 11 and well over the height limit. For most other countries in Europe the limit is 150cm and it’s not like UK cars or roads are significantly safer than say France or Germany….

she is now 148cm and doesn’t use anything

Yes. And if you read rest of my post I says car designs don’t suit short people. So if there are additional safety measures for children then even better.

Im fully aware that due to my height I sit closer to the steering wheel and are therefore at increased risk in a collision.
For my children I wouldn’t take a risk.

Why’s it different? Both about the law and safety.

People are nosy and have nothing better to do. I've had this with other parents at my daughter's pre school. Seems like parents with one darling child have nothing else to think about than scrutinising what other parents are doing.

@Rummikub At 12 if OP’s child remains the same height the law says no need for a car seat. So no car seat. Does this then negate the risk of not having a car seat at 132 cm just because OP’s child has turned 12?

@Beddgelert im a bit confused by your posts as well. You’ve got an 18 year old- car safety has moved on since then- in the same way that many more people are rear facing under 5s than would have been doing a decade ago. Things change and evolve as the evidence base grows.

My 7yo is 137cm but will be remaining in a high back booster because the evidence is quite clear that it is safer for her. She will also be going skiing, loves climbing and is an adventurous child. I don’t see the correlation between enjoying adventurous activities and car seat safety. I might choose to go skiing knowing the risks but ensure the children go to ski school, have helmets etc to reduce risk. Car seats are the same principle really- why the rush to move out of something that offers more protection if a crash did happen?

My 10yr old is on a booster seat, same as my 8yr old. We took them out of HBB a few months ago as they were getting quite small (width as much as height)

Both are totally happy with boosters, no complaints.

I presume as the child grows up their weight increases.

Id love an adult booster seat tbh. My car seat is height adjustable but not enough to get the seat belt to sit correctly.

@Bunnycat101 not sure what is confusing? I abide by the law. I explained and apologised to OP that I had missed the OP DS’s height. I only defended myself because I was demonised for allowing my child to partake in ‘high risk’ activities!

I make no presumptions when it comes to safety!

In my experience using a standard booster is fairly normal for smaller 10 year olds but not high backed ones.

So you would have a child under 135cm at ten years old in a hbb?
Good!

Of course I said that numerous posts ago. The law is the law!

As soon as they turn 12 though that law is no longer valid???? Regardless of height????

Im amazed at all the DC still fitting in a HBB - from a shoulder point of view! Both our DC moved to a normal booster aged about 8 when I realised that they were permanently leaning forward/wedged diagonally as their shoulders didnt fit anymore.

Then we stopped boosters once they were over 135cm. (Well, can't remember exactly for ds1 but ds2 was begging to stop using one and counting every cm he grew until he could stop using one).

Mine were both in HBB until they reached 135cm. DD is older but same height as DS - she was 11.5 when she reached 135cm. She gave zero shits about it because she understood the risks. I'd rather have an alive 'uncool' DC then a 'cool' DC who's been mangled in a car crash 🤷🏻‍♀️