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Parenting

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Original poster

Booster seats/cushions

36 replies

Brownowlahi · 13/06/2013 21:05

One of my Facebook friends has just asked on fb if it is legal for her 7 year old to have the back taken of her boost seat. I am now concerned I have been putting my children at risk by not having backs on their booster seats. My 7 year old has been to tall for quite a while to have the back on, so just sits on the base (I think this is called a booster cushion?). But my nearly 5 year old boy who does still fit in his seat with the back on, sometimes just has a booster cushion when in our second car or out with his grandparents. I am getting conflicting advice from different Internet sites, so wondering if anyone can help me. Thank you.

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xMinerva · 13/06/2013 22:08

It's always safer to have the back on the booster for the side impact protection.

I think it's Britax who have actually stopped making backless boosters now and are only making HBB.

My dc will be in HBB until they reach the maximum height/weight of their seats by which point they shouldn't need a seat anymore. As it is, they are 4yrs and 2 1/2yrs old and are still Rear Facing so there's a while until they need to go into a HBB.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:12

My five year old sits in a high backed booster seat, a maxi cosi rodi? They are safer and I think they are going to stop selling the basic booster cushions.

Your son may not weigh enough, they are supposed to be 22kg? To use a booster cushion rather than a high backed booster.

xMinerva · 13/06/2013 22:14

Here's a link to the Britax page.

And a link to the AA's page which included a crash test video comparing booster cushion and HBB.

Hth.

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ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:15

only one of our seats converts to a backless booster and dd has only just moved to that one in dh's car as her shoulders were getting too wide for the back (she is nearly 10). Her and ds (6) are still in high backed boosters in my car and ds has a hbb in dh's car. The hbb are safer than booster cushions as they offer more side impact protection. Some booster cushions are suitable from 15kgs but that doesnt mean you have to use them if you have a hbb to use instead.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:16

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/overview

Here you go, legal guidelines, they need to be over 22kg to just use a booster cushion.

I kept mine with a high backed booster as long as possible, my ds2 and ds3 have just started using just a booster cushion, theory are 10 and 8 and are 134cm and 125cm tall, the booster cushion makes sure the seatbelt fits correctly, tbh if we go on a long journey ds3 still gas the back on his (its removable) as its more supportive/comfortable if he goes to sleep.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:17

ilove the booster may say its suitable from 15kg but legally children must be 22kg before they use just a booster cushion. Check link I posted.

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:19

that site (even though it is the gov.uk one) doesnt give the full story on car seats as there are booster cushions that are approved for use from 15kgs.

www.childcarseats.org.uk/types/index.htm - gives a fuller explanation of the different groups and what seats fit into each group

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:20

there are booster cushions that are legal from 15kg if you check the link I posted - Group 3 is from 22kgs but some boosters as approved as group 2 and are ok from 15kgs.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:21

They are approved by some but not legally, the ,manufacturers may say they are OK but legally a child should weigh 22kg, there was a court case recently where a mum was found partly liable for her dd's I juries despite the accident not being her fault, as she had her on a booster cushion and she didn't weigh 22kg.

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:21

p.s. I am not saying it is ok to use a booster cushion from 15kgs just that there are seats that are legally able to be used from that weight

xMinerva · 13/06/2013 22:23

I find it quite shocking that you can get boosters cushions suitable from 15kg's.

My 4.2year old son is 21kg's and I just can't imagine him sitting on just a booster cushion.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:23

You can use a high backed booster from15kg but if it is just the booster cushion with no back they must be 22kg, lots have a removable back but you shouldn't remove it until your child is over 22kg, these are often group 2-3 ones, we have some.

xMinerva · 13/06/2013 22:24

Why does my phone keep adding ' to kg's?

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:25

that court case involved a 3 year old on a booster cushion rather than in a 5 point harness so not strictly relevant - it related to age rather than weight as she was 3 and the age guide was from age 4.

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:25

Regardless of the manufacturers guidliens you cannot use a booster without a back until a child weighs 22kg as that is what the law says, it changed fairly recent.y so some manufacturers ,at not have changed the guidance with their seats etc.

Startail · 13/06/2013 22:29

For those of you who are shocked, the thinking on this has moved on in a very few years. Most of us with teens never had high backed boaster seats.

DD2 sat on the Graco one in a shop (the only faintly safe looking one available at the time) and said it was rock hard.

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:30

if you check halfords, mothercare, argos, etc all the backless boosters say 'from 15kgs'

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:39

Given mother care tried to sell me a booster seat for my 9mth old as he was chunky I don't believe anything they say!

The law has or is changing re rear facing, babies are to stay rear facing till 15mths old and once they have changed appropriate weight. I think it changed this January.

My eldest is 13 and was on a high backed booster till 9 and then just a booster for a while, he is now taller than me.

I had a booster cushion as a child as well.

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:39

from the court case:
Although Emma, who weighed 15kg, was at the minimum weight limit for the booster seat seat, she was 8cm shorter than the minimum height stated in the instruction booklet and younger than the guideline age suitability of four years.

The judge, Mr Justice Blair, described Ms Williams as 'an excellent and caring mother' but summarised: 'the evidence establishes that the booster cushion should not have been used, that the child seat should have been used, and that if it had been, the injuries sustained in the accident would largely have been avoided'.

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:41

I dont think it has changed yet, it may have been due to change last January but seems to have been delayed. I was lucky we had seatbelts as a child never mind a car seat or booster!

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:46

Yes it could be next January? Thru really need to clarify things amdnmake sure parents know the law and what this safest, that is information that should go in your ante natal pack/bounty pack!

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:52

found some info here - will be i-Size regulations

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 22:55

p.s. looks like it will be several years before a new regulation will be implemented as it involves new seats that will all be isofix

5madthings · 13/06/2013 22:58

It says some rules ie the rear facing ,any be implemetmed as early asjune 2013? Tjue really need to get a move eon and sort it out and publish clear guidelines!

Can you retrospectrivley fit isofix? Our car doesn't have isofix?

ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 23:01

I really dont know. I have never used an isofix seat despite having isofix in the car.

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