Is your 5 yo in car seat?

[TiredTuftyTeddy]

Mine is and apparently this is odd??

I want to keep him on one for as long as I can, however he is getting big (116cm tall).

I have a Britax Romer 123 at the moments.

Any recommendations for the next one or will he be ok in this for a while?

Mine is and apparently this is odd??

All the 5 year olds I know are in proper car seats (not just boosters)

UK need to be in High back booster until at least 128cms. In car seat till 135cms but can be a booster instead of HBB once 128cms..

Doesn't matter what anyone else does, you are the parent, keep your child safe..

At 5 mine were in high backed boosters.

Why would that be odd, who told you it's odd? Mines almost 5 and he's nowhere near reaching either the age criteria (12 years) or the height criteria (135cm tall) to be out of a car seat?

Of course! My DD is almost 7 and all of her friends are still using car seats as far as I know (though I think there is one really tall boy in her class who doesn't, but not sure). They should def still be in one at 5 I thought! Who is telling you they shouldn't?

Your child is almost 20cm off the minimum height not to require a seat by law and they are safest in a proper seat for as long as they fit. My 10 year old has only just moved out of a (high back booster) seat.

My 9 yo is in a hbb still as it goes up to 150cm and she's got a couple of cm to go. They are safer in a car seat/hbb for as long as possible.

My son is almost 5yo and we only just moved him from a rear-facing 5-point-harness car seat into a high backed booster (because he outgrew his previous seat). He was a lot more comfortable in his RF car seat than he is now!

Don't think the law specifies heights for booster seats.
www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

5? My daughter is 4 and a half and in a 5 point harness car seat still, no intentions of changing that anytime soon. 5 is so young.

My 8 year old is going to be in one for ages yet. He's only about 122cm tall.

My nearly 8 year old is very much still in a car seat

Small rural school and school trips are all managed by kids sharing teacher and parent volunteer cars and bringing their own car seats. On a recent trip a few weeks ago every year 2 and year 1 brought in a car seat/HBB no one had even a normal booster

I am pleased to see older children still in hbb. My son is 9 and still in his. I’ve got some friends whose children of the same age and younger have no car seat at all and always sit in the front. I’d rather be safe than sorry!

My almost 9 year old is in a hbb. He is 142cm tall so still 8cm until he outgrows it.

Yes, my very tall 8y.o. is still in one (in age 11 clothes) and will be until the 150cm hbb is fully outgrown. At 5 they were still in a rear facing car seat.

Wow, thank you for all of the replies.

I'm not planning on getting rid of the car seat, but had a few comments (from other parents) about the big car seat. Obviously, I couldn't care less what anyone thinks, his safety is priority. It just got me thinking, is this the safest option? Everything I read contradicts itself. If they are higher than the headrest it's time to change, but the seat is for up to 12yo?

Then there's the high backed booster, 5 point seat beat adapter.

I just feel a bit out of my depth with it all (after reading Which repeatedly!!)

As long as his current seat is the best option and safe for his height etc, that's good for me (and my pennies!)

I'd say most kids can move to basic booster by around 8 yrs going hy height guide. But as a parent this is not the safest option & it really is up to you to advocate for your child's safety, irrespective of any peer pressure they are giving you about how A,C don't need to have a 'baby' seat etc
My go to answer as parent & now CM has always been that it doesn't matter what ACs mum does, my job is to keep you safe while I'm looking after you & this is the safest way, so this is what is happening. Not had any wee ones argue back so far.

My 8 year old who is in clothes size 11 to 12 is still in a car seat.

Jesus I'm only 155cm! I would think after 128 the normal seat belt will work just fine. My best mate is 150cm as a fully grown woman!

Did as a 9 year old was in a HBB that went to 150cm I think? and the agreement was that at 10 they could stop… however we were in a small accident when they were just last 9 years so the seat needed to be disposed of and we didn’t bother replacing.

Yes my 6yo is in a high back booster, also a Britax 123 seat (Advansafix).

I assume yours is in the Evolva, in the high back booster (adult seatbelt) mode?

Keep him in it. It is much safer than just using the seatbelt alone. Plus it's the law - he needs to use a booster seat until 135cm or 12 years, whichever comes first. High back offers better body support and head protection compared to backless booster. The Evolva goes very tall and should last him all the way.

I think there is a bit of a blind spot at the moment, with adults who remember car seats for younger children but were too old to be affected by the law change in 2003 saying booster seats must be used up to 135cm/12 years old. The law change itself being 21 years ago is no longer news. And we'll catch up to it soon because the adults with primary-aged children will have been under 12 themselves at the time of the law.

Have you got it set up right? There's no way a 116cm is over the highest head rest when the seat fits 150cm.

If it helps, my general understanding was that the safest thing was to rear face as long as possible (5-7) then move to a high back booster. I'd read that forward facing harnessed seats were less safe. Is yours in a harness or using the seatbelt (HBB)?

@Hercisback1 yes this is the thing, his head is over the top? It's definitely set up correctly. It's the full seat not a booster set up