at what age can you go from car seat to booster seat ???

[nikcola]

does any one no xxx nikkixxxx

Trying to remember...

Isn't it a weight thing?

Mine went into a booster seat when her little sister graduated to a regular car seat instead of a rear-facing infant seat. So that would make the older one 3.5.

Message withdrawn

i was wondering this - as ds who has just turned 2 and is already 15kg but his car seat goes up to 18kg......
hopefully it will last him a while yet - 3kg is about 6pounds isnt it??

it does depend on the type of car seat too

Founds this on US based site

"Q-How can I tell when my child has outgrown his car seat?

A-Children should ride in safety seats with a complete harness system as long as possible. Most seats with a harness fit children up to 40 pounds, but a tall, thin child may be too tall for a ?convertible? seat, the type that
faces either rearward or forward, before reaching the maximum weight. If the child?s shoulders are above thetop slots, try a combination child seat/booster with higher strap slots. The harness may be used up to 40-50 pounds, depending on the model. The harness is then removed, and the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster up to 80 pounds or more.

Q-What about children who outgrow their safety seats before age four?

A-Most 2-year-olds and many 3-year-olds are too immature to sit still in a booster with a lap and shoulder belt, which allows them to lean forward or sideways. Parents should consider getting a larger seat or a tethered
harness system for younger or more active children who outgrow their safety seats.

Children who are under three or four years old or are very active may not stay put if they are not strapped in snugly. Booster seats do not work well for these children because they may lean forward or place the shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm. Special products that provide upper body restraint for children over 40 pounds are available, but they may be difficult to find or to install.

This is a US site but the same guidelines must apply. I will look for the UK version though.

Found the uk site here

"Booster seat
Group 2 for children weighing 15 - 25 kgs (33 - 55 lbs) roughly 4 to 6 years

They can be used in the front or rear of the car, but it is safer to put them in the rear, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front. Some Booster seats are designed to be converted into a booster cushion by detaching the back rest.

Booster Cushion
Group 3: for children weighing 22 - 36 kgs (48 - 79 lbs) roughly from 6 - 11 years

They can be used in the front or rear of the car, but it is safer to put them in the rear, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front.

Booster seats and booster cushions do not have an integral harness to hold the child in place. The adult seat belt goes around the child and the seat. So it is important that the seat belt is correctly adjusted. The basic points to note are:

• the belt should be worn as tight as possible
• the lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not the stomach
• the diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder, not the neck. "

"They can be used in the front or rear of the car"

Really???

Does anyone really put their young child (4 years old in a booster seat, for example) in the front of the car?

Here in the US you are encouraged not to let kids ride in the front seat until they are at least 12, air bag or not. The back is far safer.

Kate - over here all car seats can be fit in the front seat, but the back is still recommended as the safest. But then the law over here is so lax anyway.

Wow, that really amazes me.

Oh, and if there is an airbag we are recommended to make sutre the fron seat (if that's where the child is) is at its furthest back setting.

In our new car we have noticed that the ISOFIX car seat fittings no longer appear on the front passenger seats, only in the back.

Loads of people I know put their children in the front in booster seats but personally I would avoid it. I think DH has done it once with DS when he had my car and had the back seats down to go to the tip. I also know loads of people who move their children up a stage before they reach the weight. In fact my DS who is 3.5 and weighs just over 16 kg and is currently in a booster chair (ie high back) is in a minority - loads of his friends are just on cushions.

DS had a high back booster which incorporated a harness and we had major hassle getting him into it with his winter coat on last winter until he hit the weight to be OK without the harness.

yes hula have had a look at this recently as ds has just turned 3 - all the info said usually from 4 - but of course depends on weight as well (ds is v. average height/weight).

I'd go by height and weight. DD1 was in a booster seat at 2yrs 8 months - but she was also in clothes for a 5 year old. DD2 is 3yrs 6months and is still in a car seat - but the sort that uses the adult seat belt, not with integral harness. She grew out of this at about age 2, as did DD1.

The main reason we moved DD1 out of her car seat was that she said it was uncomfortable and kept undoing the seatbelt. We removed the back of the seat to make it into a booster and had no more problems.

i weighed dd just now she weighs 2 stone she is 2 and 8 months how many kg is that,
thanks for all the advice

2 stone is 12.72 kg

Nickola - you should leave it as late as possible. At your DDs age I am sure that she would fall asleep when in the car and they tend to fall forward or to the side in booster seats and then they may as well not be in them if you are in a crash.

As for the advice about sitting in the front of cars children should not really until they are quite old - 12 I read somewhere. I think it is about being tall enogh for the SIP and other stuff to protect them adequately?

I don't think you should go on weight as kids vary so much as to how old they are and their capabilities at certain ages but in my mind 2.8 would be far too young to go in a booster seat!!

I converted here

My DD is 2 stone 1lb at 2y4m = just over 13kg, but she is no where near ready to go into a booster yet. I just wouldn't want to risk her wriggling about and getting loose to start with.

the only time I let my children go in the front is if its a van

Twinkie - I think it is something like age 12 and 5 feet.

A question for you experts, DD uses a Britax Supercruiser car seat/booster seat thing. Looks most like a car seat but uses the adult belt. Her head is now poking over the top of it. is it still safe or do we need to get a basic booster seat?

it would still be safe, i think the super cruiser is up to six years old

maria luisa,
We used a Supercruiser for our then 5 yr old ds in a hire car last year without any problem. Britax seem to imply in the instructions of several of their seast that they are still safe until their ears are in line with the top. You could always email or call them to confirm. Personally I'd rather they stay in a seat with a back rest as long as poss to give them better side impact protection, the shoulder belt adjustment and for comfort when they fall asleep.

Going back to Nickola's question I'd prefer to keep them in a proper 5 point harness seat as long as it is safely possible - they are more supportive and spread the impact in the unfortunate event of a crash.

what about the maxi cosi rodi, or the other britax one (?kid) where you get a booster seat but with also a back/head support included to be used until they get nearer to 12? (rodi is from about 4-12 yrs). we got one from kiddicare for £50

not that it helps re the seat question, but to just sit in the car without a booster seat of some description the seat belt shoud come around tyou and come between your ear (i think) and shouloder so it is in the correct position like you would for an adult. If not you need a booster of some description.

re use of booster seats it is to do with weight and height. weight 15kg and heigh enough for seat belt to be in correct position. It is because the booster seats rely on the childs weight to hold the seat in position, and the seat belt to do the restraining just like for an adult if you stop suddenly/have an accidient. - at least thats what the fitter in mothercare told me.

On another note, my car has seat belts in the back that if yoy pull out to their full extent and then do them up, once they are tight they lock so the child can't move forwards again. I thought that was a really useful safety feature as I know DS cant lean too far in any direction once strapped in - BTW we have a mazda premacy

Cheers for the info. Her crown is over the top of the seat but she's got about an inch and a half before her ears are in line with the top so we've probably got a few more months.