Does a 5 year old need a car seat on a minibus?

[LadyoftheLavaLamp]

This will be for school so x2 trips several days a week. I think we will need a high backed booster, but I see other similar height children on the bus without anything, or just a basic backless booster seat. DC is quite tall for their age. Am I being unnecessarily cautious?

If the child is tall about then they don’t need a car seat but maybe just a booster seat.

My son gets a bus to school and back everyday, the transport service rang me a few days before school started and asked for his weight and height and provided a carseat for him xx

My kids have been on school transport for years. They had booster seats for my eldest but they were the real thin rubbish ones you get for six quid that stack. I think they lasted a year or two, no booster seats since. I think technically don’t need them. Obviously in an ideal world but our minibus does a high school run before ours and does other stuff too. Prebooked airport runs etc so can’t leave stuff on there.

A minibus is treated like a bus or taxi and booster seats are not legally required.
If you provide one you rely on the staff fitting it properly / the minibus may go back to school and used for other things during the day and go pick up the children after .

DDs first trip I sent her with a Trunki travel seat but teachers didn't use it or realise it was a seat.

Depends on the hight, DS stated using school transport at 5 (nearly 6) and uses a backless small booster, but he's quite tall for his age and was over 125cm. I provided one and just put it in when he gets picked up, though I had the option of the transport providing one. DS's autistic, so it was an easier transition to have an identical one to what's in my car, then I could get him use to it at home a month or so before starting the new school.

When my DC goes on school trips they just sit on the bus with a seatbelt, from P1.

A backless booster would be better than nothing as it helps correct the seatbelt position from over their tummy to over their hips, which is the most important job of any booster seat. The side impact support of a high back is a nice to have rather than an essential.

I don't think it's overkill to use a high back one, but will it be able to stay in the minibus between trips or will it have to be installed every time? Then what will happen to it during the school day? These issues might be why other people are not using them. And if they are not adjusted correctly, which it might not be if someone else is installing it, then it's less protective than a backless booster used properly.

I think I'd ask about how it would work to use a high back but if it's going to be too much hassle, get a basic backless one with very clear belt guides and show DS how to do it properly himself. Both parts of the belt at the buckle side need to go under the guide, and he should not put the diagonal belt under his arm.

Remember that a larger vehicle will receive less of the total impact from a crash if it crashes with a smaller vehicle, which is why it's very important to wear a seatbelt in a car but less important in a bus. A minibus is of course between the two.

The seat stays in the bud and is fitted by us

*bus!

I'd say definitely yes then. If you've fitted it and it can stay on the bus then I would have a seat as it's not just a one off for a school trip but every day, twice a day, so best for your child to be safe. 5 years old is still extremely young in terms of risks of injury in the event of an accident so not really any downsides to having a seat I would think

Yes, makes sense to use a high back in that case.