The legal answer to this question comes from the state in which you live. For Ohio, the law states that a child should remain in a booster seat until they reach 8 years old or 4’9” tall, whichever comes first. This website is a great refence for car seat laws by state.
Because the legal age to ride without a booster is 8, we see a lot of children transitioning out of their booster seat right at their 8th birthday. But most child passenger safety experts – us included – advise families to keep kids in a booster until they reach 4’9” tall.
WHY THIS HEIGHT?
This height may seem tall, but 4’9” is the height at which the vehicle seat belt fits properly. Seat belts were designed to fit adults’ bodies. Therefore, using a booster seat helps to lift kids to the height where a seat belt fits properly for the best crash protection.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: Using a booster seat reduces the risk of serious injury by 45% for children 4-8 years old when compared to seat belt use alone. However, we do advise families to max out the harness weight or height limit on their car seat before transitioning to a booster seat.
Failure to use a booster seat or improperly using the adult-sized seat belt can result in the following injuries:
- Injuries to their abdomen, pelvis, spine, and head.
- Bleeding from the spleen, liver, kidneys and pancreas.
- Bruising or tearing of the intestines.
- Spinal fractures or torn ligaments.
WHAT DOES A PROPER SEAT BELT FIT LOOK LIKE?
- The lap belt sitting right at the bend of their hip, touching the top of their thighs.
- The lap belt should also sit across the pelvis and hip bones.
- The shoulder belt is angled across the chest, hitting between the edge of their collarbone and shoulder.
- The shoulder belt should not touch their necks.
A COMMON ISSUE: We see children who are too short to be out of a booster seat putting the shoulder belt behind them. They do this because the shoulder belt hits their necks and it’s uncomfortable. However, putting the shoulder belt behind them is not safe and can cause significant injury in a crash.
DO THEY NEED A HIGH-BACK BOOSTER?
Some of the benefits of a high-back booster include:
- Neck support when there is no vehicle headrest.
- A built-in shoulder belt guide, which can be helpful for proper shoulder placement.
- Many of them can transition into a no-back booster when kids need less support.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: If your vehicle has a headrest, your kids can use a no-back booster. Keep in mind that all passengers, including adults, should have a headrest to the tops of their ears for optimal crash protection.
IS IT TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE BOOSTER?
Your kids may be as old as 12 before the seat belt fits them without the booster. But it’s important to wait until that point for each child. If you think your 8- to 12-year-old is getting close, you can do this five-step test to determine if they’re ready to ride without the booster. If you answer “NO” to any of these questions, we suggest you continue to use the booster seat and try again in a few months.
The five step test:
- Does the child sit all the way back against the vehicle seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the vehicle seat?
- Does the shoulder belt lay between the collar bone and shoulder?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Pay close attention to step #5. Some children may demonstrate a proper seated position for a short period of time, but they need to stay properly seated for the whole trip to get the best crash protection.
ARE THERE BOOSTER SEAT ALTERNATIVES?
Some families use a seat belt positioning device, since they are smaller and easier for travel. Instead of lifting the child up to fit the belt, these devices bring the belt down to fit the child. There are some belt positioning devices on the market that meet federal crash testing standards, including the Ride Safer Travel Vest and MiFold. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unsafe products that do not meet crash testing standards on the market. So your best bet is to reach out to a child passenger safety technician for help!
For more information on child passenger safety, including different types of car seat restraints, visit our car seat safety page or call 513-803-7433.
My daughter was very short for her age….she did not reach 4′ 9″ until she was in high school.
I realize the reason for your booster seat rules….but do you know how cruel middle school girls
can be?? Have you taken a middles school child to school in a booster seat and her whole
school made fun and laughed at her??? Please consider that some rules are harmful to kids
in other ways!
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter’s middle school experience related to booster seats. It sounds like you followed the laws of your state and kept her in a booster seat longer than most other kids her age, which is considered best practice. By keeping her in a booster seat until she grew taller it allowed for the seat belt to fit her more like an adult (which is who the seat belts are designed to fit). However, I understand that parents have tough choices to make when weighing vehicle safety vs the psychological needs of their kids.
My daughter is very short and I made her sit in the back seat until she started driving. Not sure how long she was in a car seat, she’s 34 now. 4’11”.
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Are there age/weight/height recommendations for when to switch your child from a high backed booster to just the booster seat? Thanks!
Kristin-
Great question! There are no specific recommendations for when to transition a child from a high back booster seat to a no-back booster, however it’s always important to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Many times there are different requirements between high back and no backs, in regards to age, weight and height. Additionally, it is important to remember that a high back booster must be used in a vehicle where there is no headrest to protect the child’s head and neck in the event of a crash.
What information can you share regarding a car seat/ booster seat that is compatible for a vehicle AND
FAA approved for an airplane for a 4 and 6 year old? Our family will be flying to our vacation destination and will rent a vehicle while there. Thank you!
Great question! Many car seats are FAA approved for airplane use and this can be found on a label or sticker on your child’s car seat. When it comes to booster seats, they are not FAA approved. The reason is because booster seats require both a lap and shoulder belt to be used safely. As you know, an airplane only has a lap belt. Therefore, it cannot be used on an airplane. However, we definitely recommend bringing your children’s car seats and booster seats with you on your trip. You just will not be able to use the booster seat on the plane.
I want to ask a question regarding booster seats. I have a 2years old nephew and his height is 14”. Should I use booster seats when we will travel in Car?
Hi Sandra – A two-year old child still needs to ride in a car safety seat with a 5-point harness.