Booster seat on coach for reception school trip?

[Maybeitsok]

My just turned 5 year old is going on a school trip soon via busy dual carriageway to another city, journey time approx 45 min each way. They are still in a rear facing car seat with me, which is all they know, and how they will continue until they outgrow it at 36kg or 125cm tall. They’re currently only 16kg and 107cm!

Anyway, I was reluctant to let them go on the coach but have decided to do so but with a booster seat, so I’ve bought a carry on portable one that’ll be easy enough to use.

Thing is, they’ve asked if it’s just them that’ll have this kind of seat, and it probably will be, since people aren’t that clued up on car seat safety it seems.

Has anyone else sent their 4/5 year old with a booster before? I’m fearful they’ll be ridiculed but then again not sure considering their age. Safety first in my opinion, but want them
happy too.

Hav you asked the school if it will be suitable? Coach seatbelts are different.

I think it's probably fine to go without it. My DD, who was tiny, took a coach to school everyday at four and it was okay.

I asked the type of seatbelt and explained why I needed to know, they didn’t object so I’m guessing it’s fine!

What sort of belts does the coach have? Booster cushions can't be used with just a lap belt. I doubt anyone else will be using one tbh

It’s a 3 point seat belt

Car seats aren't required on coaches and I've never seen kids use one in all the times I went on trips with the primary school

I've got the same dilemma, I think I'm going to ask if I can drive my daughter myself as I don't want her going in the coach. She will just undo the seatbelt. The coach only had a lap belts and I think booster seat would have made her head closer to the seat in front so was actually more dangerous.

Is your child going to have to carry the booster around when they are on the trip?

I doubt anyone else will be using one but they are not going to be ridiculed at that age, I have a reception aged DC and the other children definitely would not care if one of them had a booster seat.

I have been on countless school trips on many types of coach with all age children. I have never had a child use a booster seat. Coach seat belts tend to be adjustable so that they fit any size child. What will they do with it all day? It’s likely the coach may have to go off to do other jobs. Staff will not want to be lugging it round.

My daughter is the same and uses a high back non-iso fix booster on the way to swimming every week in the coach. She’s the only one, but no one has ever said anything and she’s entirely happy with it

I wanted to drive them, but DP feels strongly that it’s the wrong decision and will deprive him of a really exciting opportunity with new friends. I do agree with that, it’s just hard when I’m so hot on car safety.

Ohh! Id have preferred a high back booster but didn’t think it was compatible with a coach.

It wouldn't have occurred to me to do this because of the logistics - do they have to carry it round all day? Is the coach definitely the same one there and back? I'd be worried about it vanishing during the day.

Why would she undo the belt? Is she neurodivergent? School will
make sure she wears it h less there is a known issue that will make her unsafe to travel. Some schools may not agree to you transporting her yourself.
It’s the highlight of the trip for most kids. Just let her get on the bus.

I’ve been on countless school trips on coaches. I’ve never had a child undo their seatbelt. Children are used to wearing seatbelts and they are used to doing what they are asked to do when they are at school.

I’m not worried about them undoing their seat belt.

I’m worried about how dangerous it is for children this size to be on a road without a car seat. Granted, coaches are less dangerous than cars but there is still a risk.

It’s a huge jump going from a rear facing car seat to nothing!

Seat belts may be adjustable but they’re designed for adults, hence the booster.

Your child will almost certainly be the only one.

That said, I’m guessing they’re also one of the smallest so they’ll stand out on that front among their peers anyway.

Reception are likely to be in the main too young to make a big deal out of it.

(as some context, our nursery trips have a lot of kids who are rear facing in parents cars and none have car seats on the coach).

In risk management, time at risk is a very real influencing factor. What you do to reduce risk when that thing happens a lot is typically very different to brief occasional activities.

Do not do this, she’s statistically safer on a coach with no seat belt than in your car with a seat. Think of the size of a coach, she’s SO much better protected.

Personally, there’s zero chance I’d have left either of my kids go on a coach when they were nursery age. Far too tiny for no car seats

Who will be responsible for fitting the car seat, and belting her in it, both at the school and on the return trip? The school might not want the responsibility of that, you’ll have to ask them if it’s ok. Also what will they do with the car seat all day if the coach doesn’t stay? No one’s going to carry it round.

My DC both maxed out mini kids in my car. However, I decided not to send mine with a booster for coaches (although eldest didn't do any coach trips in reception due to COVID). They are in a much bigger vehicle, higher up and my DCs school use coaches with an adjustable belt, so the belt sits properly on their shoulder and laps. My DC are also older in year and had spent many years being told to sit sensibly in their seat so could be trusted to sit sensibly. DD first went on a school trip in Y1 and she was so used to my stringent car safety she adjusted her seatbelt and her friends seatbelts to the appropriate fit!

I already addressed this with the school and it’s a non issue

What do you do when you get the bus or a train?

it’s fine to be hot on car seat safety and I entirely agree there but a coach is not a car.

We all get on buses and trains and coaches and the rules there are different. I’d never travel with my newborn on my chest in a car but did it daily on a bus. I’d never not strap my toddler in in the car but the mats why they liked the train! All my DC were in full car seats for as long as possible but went on multiple trips a week with school and clubs and went in the minibuses and coaches and were quite happy to understand the difference.

There are 66 times more fatalities in cars then coaches