Which is safer? I can't find any information.

[TheOriginalFAB]

DS1 is now 141cm and as I understand it tall enough not to need any kind of car seat. He is in a high backed booster now and DH said keeping him in it will give him the head protection he won't have without it.

Is he safer in the seat even though he is taller than the legal limit or is it like baby seats where they are not safe enough once the baby is heavier than the limit?

I am off for a hair wash but will be back later so TIA for any advice.

[TruthSweet]

If he still fits in his high back booster (has 1cm gap between the top of his shoulder and the belt guide) then he is safer in it that out.

You can get high back boosters that will fit taller children such as the Sunshine Kids Monterey which will fit a 160cm child - allegedly as DD1 is still only 5 and 117cm so I haven't verified it personally - though some of that will depend on torso height vs. leg length as two children can be the same height standing but different heights seated.

The high back booster will keep the shoulder portion of the seat belt in the right place (i.e. off his neck/throat) and provide side impact protection which a backless booster/booster cushion/no booster will not.

If you do want to take him out of a high back booster and put him in just a seat belt check if he passes the 5 step test (no, it's not a legal requirement but a common sense check list ). If he passes the test then he is just as safe in a booster cushion as just a seat belt but a high back booster will still provide side impact protection in case of an accident. Also, he might pass the 5 step test in your car but fail it in DH's car so be aware that in certain cars he may need boostering to ride safely.

HTH

[TheOriginalFAB]

Thank you very much. I will look into the other seat you mentioned.

[aswellasyou]

Truth, I don't pass the 5 step test! Seatbelts are always cutting into my neck and the lap belt goes across my body rather than my thighs. Am I a freak of nature?!! I'm 5'4" so not especially short.

[TruthSweet]

If you go booster shopping, take a tape measure and measure the booster you have at home first at the top setting and measure from the belt guide (red plastic bit) to the seat. Then you have a base measurement for what a new booster would have to beat to be a good buy.

The Sunshine Kids Monterey is 21.5" at the highest setting but a Graco Turbo booster is 19.5" - now 2" of torso height doesn't sound like much but that is probably match by 2" of leg length so that's 4" different in height between a Monterey and a Turbo booster.

Incidentally what booster do you have at the moment?

[TruthSweet]

Sorry that last bit was garbled!

The 4" of height difference wasn't between the seats themselves but in the difference in the height of the child that could still use the back in each respective seat.

Must preview before posting...

[TheOriginalFAB]

We have a maxi cosi rodi xp I think at the moment.

[TruthSweet]

Apparently the Maxi Cosi Rodi will take a child from 34" to 57" (2'10 - 4' 9") with the back on so as your son is 141cm/4' 7.5" he is near the top of the range though as I said before if he is all legs he may have lots of growing room but if he's all torso he might be growing out of it.

[TheOriginalFAB]

He does have long legs.

[TruthSweet]

Aswellasyou - just saw your post. I have problems with a lot of seat belts riding up on my neck and I'm 5'8". though I am very short torso'd - an old colleague of mine used to be taller than me seated and I was 3" taller than her standing . I have to have my seat belt on the lowest setting in DH's car but the belt doesn't go over my thighs (I put that down to lard though rather than seat belt issues). I used a belt positioner when pg to get the belt off my bump.