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.

Remember many children from 4 travel on school buses daily. I have never seen any child go on the bus with a car seat.

And now that i think about it learning to manage their own seat belt was the reason I moved my oldest into a HBB.

You got lucky that you weren't involved in a serious collision. Children used to die in serious collisions before car seats were "a thing".

Rear facing car seats help prevent snapped necks and other severe injuries.

But don't let this information get in the way of your quiet whispers.

If you have researched and are confident your dd is safer with a booster on the coach than without and you are happy that she will be able to navigate using the seat and generally being responsible for it then go for it. I don’t think her being the only one is an issue, at that age children won’t care about a booster seat.

Are there really people around who have never seen an 'extended' rear facing car seat with a child in it? They're pretty common place now.

Attached picture as an example from online. Perfectly comfortable. Mine actually found them more comfortable when at particular sizes because their legs didn't dangle, which could be uncomfortable.

Agreed. And the roads were quieter, population smaller, cars slower etc etc etc.

My dad fashioned tethers of sorts for us 40 odd years ago because it seemed so illogical that they weren't required.

My FiL's sister died on her honeymoon because the seatbelts they had requested be put in as an optional extra on their new car were missed off.

Understanding of risk and therefore the mitigation of it has improved. Hardly rocket science.

Planning to Rear face until 125cm ie age 12 is ridiculous

It sounds like you feel attacked by OP choosing to use car seats for her kids that are 5 times safer than the ones you've used. Her choice is not an attack on your choice and no one is judging your parenting.

It's simply a fact that rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward facing. You don't have to choose it for your kids though. And regarding the legs, dangling them in forward-facing seats is actually more uncomfortable for kids than sitting cross-legged or with their legs up. Dangling puts pressure on the legs and can cause problems with circulation.

I’ve never seen a child rear facing after 2 but am aware this happens. Like I’ve never seen a car seat on a plane but I’m sure people have them sometimes. Happy for everyone to do as they want though, no judgement from me.

I am just excited to be aging out of the car seat era. Both my kids are tall enough to go without (though my son still prefers a booster in our car) and it’s magically freeing!

Who said they'd RF until 12? Average 12 year old height in UK is closer to 150cms. 152 CMS for girls.

125cms is closer to a 7 year old.

Do you mean a lap belt? I'm surprised (but believe you!) because I'd been about to comment that every coach we've used on a school trip in at least the last 6 years has been a 3 point belt, much like in a car. I can't really remember before that. Perhaps it is just the coach providers we use though.

It’s not always the same bus collecting as dropping off. They also often have other jobs to do during the day. Don’t assume anything can be left on the bus.

You're definitely part of that mental Facebook group aren't you 😂

That child does not look comfortable

Relative likelihood and absolute likelihood are very different.

It's been said on here that rear facing is "5 times safer" than forward facing, for example (even though that's irrelevant to the question of booster seats on coaches)... but 5 times safer than something that is already very safe isn't actually that important an improvement.

For example. If I buy a lottery ticket I'm pretty unlikely to win the lottery. So buy 5 lottery tickets, you'll be five times more likely to win the lottery. Its a no brainer, right? Why isn't everyone buying 5 lottery tickets?

Then take this to all aspects of "safety". If you wash your hands twice as often, you're twice as protected from germs, right? So let's all wash our hands 100x a day... let's triple lock our doors because no one wants an intruder to hurt our children do they? And so on.

By taking the above measures you're slightly reducing the likelihood of some rare disaster occurring... but you're hugely increasing the likelihood of your children becoming isolated and anxious.

Reducing car journeys in favour of public transport is a much more significant measure for reducing the chances of your child being injured in a traffic accident.

But all the self styled "I'm aware of the risks" types on here, including op, are saying they avoid public transport in favour of car journeys!

It's not actually about safety, at the root, it's about control and stifling independence. If your child isn't used to public transport, they'll be isolated until they've learnt to drive themselves at 17+yo.

You consider a car crash a rare disaster?

I agree. I’d have thought children’s public transport was less likely to be involved in a collision. The driver will be trained if they are a professional employed driver and not driving at very fast speeds and be aware of safety measures. It would never occur to me to ask for my 4 year old reception ds to have a booster seat on a coach.

They don’t have to “get used to public transport” when they’re 3/4/5 years old 🙄

Op just ask the school if you can take your flipping booster. Why did you even need to post this when you don’t want anyone else’s opinion?

I really don't get this post. You have a 5 years old. You never took them on the bus, train, taxi etc?
I get on the bus with my 3 years old once a week, and I don't carry around a booster seat - she simply sits on the seat.

Because your fear -yes, cars are dangerous, but it doesn't stop anyone to drive them around- you shouldn't let your child missing out on a great experience.

Perhaps not but they’re far safer on public transport than being driven around everywhere. I don’t have to make extended rear facing my entire personality because my child is rarely in a car.

Exactly…a point I made earlier, but the OP seems unable to understand the difference between absolute and relative risk. Forward facing child seats are, in some circumstances, relatively less safe than rear facing ones, but in absolute terms are still safe. Likewise in some circumstances rear facing seats are relatively less safe than front facing ones, but again in absolute terms are still safe.

I agree that if the booster seat is approved for use in coach seat then it is sensible to use it - no one is going to bat an eyelid.

If it’s not approved for use in a coach then more research is needed, but I am not convinced the OP has sufficient understanding of either the physics or the risks to make an informed decision - and, to be clear, neither to do I!

Airtag on a school trip without telling school staff until they get the anti stalking notification is not a normal level of caution in my opinion.

I’ve been in an accident on a bus when someone drove straight into the back of it. The car was totalled. The bus was fine. I did feel the impact but it was the equivalent of sharp breaking. No one fell or was thrown about. We had to wait and get on the next bus but honestly made me understand why there are so few fatalities of bus/ coach passengers as the vehicle is heavy and the passengers raised.

Airtagged the kids on a recent ski trip as some were off with skiing instructor. Lots of parents do. I think it’s also a good idea in theme parks if you get seperated tbh.