Is your 11 year old still in their HBB?

[sillysossidge]

Hi all,

I've just become the owner of a car for the first time and have been doing research on car seats for my 11 year old.

He's of average height (I think) at 143cm (56 inches) and of slim build at 32 kg (70 lbs).

Is your 11 year old still in their high-back-booster, or now using a simple booster?

Thanks a lot x

[littlemisslozza]

Once they are over 135cm tall they don't need a booster seat at all.

[DementedPanda]

No booster at all

[Penguintears]

My 12yo and 10yo aren't in booster seats any more as they're both 150cm+

Also now sitting in the front seat as I researched crash testing for my car and with all the air bags it's actually safer on the front than the back.

[tunnocksreturns2019]

Neither, for ages now! DD is 10 and 151cm

[Cherrysherbet]

No booster. No way my dd would sit on one now!

[Hollyhead]

No, DS is 150cm so we’ve ditched entirely. My smaller 7 year old will get another year or so out of his I think.

[GibbonsGoatsGibbons]

Yes - tall enough not to be but fits his seat still

[FatAgainItsLettuceTime]

My 8 yr old has outgrown booster seats now. Fairly certain she's going to end up 7ft tall 😂

[sillysossidge]

@Cherrysherbet

No booster. No way my dd would sit on one now!

Yeah, I was also worried that my DS would be too embarrassed to sit in a high back booster.

Thanks everyone. My DS is not quite 150cm, he's 143cm. I must be overthinking this.

[Louise0701]

My 9yo dd isn’t in any seat at all. Are you talking a secondary school child here?

[isthatwhatyoureallywanted]

In the U.K., the rule is 135cm or turning 12; in Europe, it's 150cm or turning 12. Cars in the U.K. aren't magically safer than those in the EU so we've worked on the basis of 150cm or leaving primary school.

[Dinoteeth]

My 11 yo smurf is in a HBB realistically I don't think meany 11 yos are in HBBs I think I'd buy a booster cushion.

Or I'd consider 2nd hand. HBB because your likely to only get a year to 18 mths use out of it and it's the cars seat belt which is holding the child in.

[StaunchMomma]

My 9 year old is quite short so I've left his high back seat in the car for long journeys and use a standard booster in the front locally.

[sillysossidge]

@Louise0701

My 9yo dd isn’t in any seat at all. Are you talking a secondary school child here?

Yes, lol, he's going to secondary next September. 🙈

I am really mad for considering a HBB, aren't I?

It's just I worry about safety and I like the side protection for the head.

[BugsInTheBed]

My 10 nearly 11 year old is about 147 148 I think. They're in a booster cushion so maybe use that as a compromise?

[Bubbleguppette]

My 11 year old has a simple booster. I would prefer a HBB but it's a struggle to get him to use this now.

[BungleandGeorge]

Realistically some adults are his size. Wasn’t an issue for us as mine were taller but you can’t make a secondary age child use a booster, they’ll get bullied mercilessly

[BungleandGeorge]

If you’re worried about side impact get him to sit in the middle seat in the back

[PastMyBestBeforeDate]

No. I don't think anyone we know uses one for his age.

[minipie]

I will be ditching DD’s HBB once she is 135cm (she is 9 and not far off) and swapping to a low booster, because the extended head of the seat means I can’t see out of the rear windscreen properly. Which is a considerably greater safety risk IMO than swapping her out of a HBB.

[SpacePotato]

He doesn't need a car seat.

[plinkypots]

The U.K. has very lax safety laws regarding kids car safety. 150 really is right height for no seat. My 137cm 10 year old is still in a HBB.

[minipie]

Does anyone know what height you can swap from a HBB to a low booster in other countries?

I agree it is odd that our rule for no booster is 135cm when so many countries say 150cm.

[Squashedraddish]

My son is ten this month and 143cm. He’s not in a booster. My daughter is almost 7 and around 125cm. She is out of her hbb and just in a booster seat without sides.

[MsTSwift]

Surprised he agrees to sit in one!