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Knowing when to transition to a booster seat and booster seat safety isn’t something parents can take lightly. As a parent with children still riding in car seats and booster seats we take education and safety serious. I have one in a car seat, another in a booster seat, and cannot wait to have another soon. I’m always trying to stay up to date on car seat and booster seat safety and education.
When To Transition To A Booster Seat
Booster seats are a crucial part of transitioning a child out of a car seat. As a parent, it can be difficult to stay up to date with the correct usage of booster seat and booster seat safety, as well as rule and regulation guideline changes. As a mom with young children, I like to stick with checking up on guidelines to make sure I’m still doing things correctly. My brother is also a firefighter so I tend to lean on him a lot when it comes to car seat and booster seat safety. Like all parents, I want to know without a doubt my children are as safe as possible while in the car.
It’s scary to think that most parents don’t know they are using the wrong car seat. Do you know if you’re using the wrong car seat?
Chicco created this awesome infographic below to help guide you through when to transition your children to a forward facing car seat, high back booster seat, backless booster seat and seat belt alone.
Booster Seat Safety Tips
Like all parents, I love my children more than life itself and it’s scary loading them up in the car, especially knowing that vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death of children in the US. What’s even scarier is that many parents don’t use a booster seat. Possibly because they don’t realize when the booster seat is used properly it can reduce the risk of serious injury by 45 perfect for children who are four to eight years of age.
Here are a few booster seat safety tips from Chicco’s child passenger safety advocate Courtney Barry.
- Big kids need car seats too – Once your “big kids” outgrows their convertible car seat it’s important to remember they still need to be in a safety seat, which is where a booster seat with a full back comes in. It has the headrest feature for protection if there is a crash.
- Booster seats ARE that important – While booster seats are easier to install than other car seats it’s important we install them correctly and understand they are important. Seatbelts are designed for adults, not children and a booster seat is the only way to make a seatbelt safe for your children.
- Booster seats need to fit – Be sure to double-check and make sure the seat is secured correctly. To do this the lap belt will be flat across your child’s upper thighs NOT across their abdomen, and the shoulder belt will go over the middle of your child’s shoulder. Be sure they don’t get the seatbelt wrapped around their back or under their arms, which will defeat the purpose of a booster seat and can cause injury if something happens.
- Maturity does matter – Just because your child is “ready” for a seat belt according to guidelines doesn’t mean they’re ready for just a seat belt. Most children under the age of five are not mature enough to sit without a full harness, it’s important to know your child and make the right choice according to their maturity level too.
- Every ride does matter – Take the time to secure your child in their booster seat every time they are in the car, even if you’re just running down the road. Did you know that 61% of crashes involving children occurred 10 minutes or less from the home, and in one-year more than 618,000 children rode in a vehicle without one at least some of the time.
- Explain – Don’t just say “NO, because I said so.” It’s great to take the time to explain to your child why their booster seat is important.
- Ask an expert – When in doubt, ASK! If you’re not sure what type of car seat your child needs or even for help installing your seat properly be sure to ask your local child passenger safety technician.
I want to know my kids are riding in something that is going to keep them safe so I stick with brands I know and trust, like Chicco.
Chicco offers a variety of car seats, and is the maker of the #1 rated KeyFit Infant Car Seat and NextFit Convertible Car Seat, and now they’re launching a new booster seat, the KidFit Booster Seat!
Did you know that the Chicco KidFit Booster Seat grows with your child while protecting them in the car. The KitFit Booster Seat features DuoZone™ combined head and shoulder side-impact protection with 10 positions for growing kids.
The Chicco KidFit Booster seat features SuperCinch LATCH attachment and the one pull tightened to help keep the seat in place for easy in and out like other Chicco car seats.
The is made to be nice and comfortable for your child with the double foam padding and awesome contoured ErgoBoost.
The cup holders are great for saving space because they fold away when not in use, and can be removed for easy clean up. Speaking of easy clean up the armrest covers and seat pad are also removable, and even machine washable.
I also like that the seat includes reclining, removable backrest when you’re ready to use as a backless booster and the much-needed easy to use vehicle belt guides. The seat can be used with the high back from 30 to 100 pounds and backless from 40 to 110 pounds.
I’m loving that the Chicco KitFit Booster Seat grows with children because transitioning from a car seat to a booster seat is already stressful enough for me. There are so many other things to worry about, it’s nice that I don’t have to worry about purchasing an entirely different booster seat. The Chicco KitFit Booster Seat has so many great features, plus it’s from a brand I already know and trust.
What kind of car seat or booster seat are you using?
