When using any backless booster and some high back boosters вЂ“ specifically those where the back is somewhat flimsy вЂ“ the vehicle seat needs to support up to at least the top of the childвЂ™s ears to decrease the chance of the child getting whiplash. Great times to bring a backless booster are when it just isnвЂ™t practical to bring a high back вЂ“ like when you are going in a taxi/Uber/Lyft, or are sending your child home from school with a parent who you arenвЂ™t sure has an extra booster in their car. One high back booster we find that is especially good for sleeping is the Maxi Cosi RodiFix. These design aspects can help the child sleep better and longer while keeping their body better positioned in the seat belt during sleep. Also a high back booster is more likely to keep the childвЂ™s body better positioned and the seat belt on the proper parts of the body during pre-crash maneuvers like swerving and hard braking than a backless booster.ДЇor kids who like to sleep in the car, choose a high-back booster that has a recline and a well designed head rest. The seat belt typically stays better positioned on the childвЂ™s body when in a high back booster, since kids donвЂ™t tend to lean sideways as much both while awake and while sleeping when in a high back compared to a backless booster. We recommend using a high back booster as often as possible and for as long as possible.

See here for a very in-depth discussion of exactly how and why boosters work so well for children. Boosters that earn a вЂњBest BetвЂќ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are the most likely to provide good lap and shoulder belt fit for typical 4-8 year old kids in almost any vehicle. Slouching is very dangerous because it puts the lap belt up on the belly which can cause very serious injuries to the abdominal organs and spinal cord in a crash.Д«oosters have design features that help the lap belt start and stay on the lap during a crash. By raising the child up and providing a shorter seat pan, a booster lets the childвЂ™s knees bend at the boosterвЂ™s edge, making the child more comfortable and much less likely to slouch. How do boosters work to keep kids safe?Д«oosters help the seat belt start and stay on the bony parts of a childвЂ™s body during normal driving and in a crash.Д«y raising the child up (boosting them!!), boosters help the shoulder belt fit properly between the shoulder and the neck. A poorly positioned lap belt is what sends kids to the hospital. Kids need booster seats to help the seat belt fit properly on the strong, bony parts of their body (their hip bones, sternum, and collar bone) and to help their body fit properly on the vehicle seat.

The seats that have the highest shoulder strap slots (and both turn into boosters for later on) are the Britax Frontier/Pinnacle Click TightВ ($339) and the Chicco MyFitВ ($199). Since most kids are too tall (their shoulders reach the top shoulder strap slot) long before too heavy in their forward-facing car seat, choosing a seat with the highest shoulder strap slots will allow your child to use the 5-point harness for longer. This child needs a 5-point-harness that can accommodate a taller, heavier child. the child likes to try and lean over to fight with a sibling, pick up dropped toys, hang out the window, play with the seat belt, etc вЂ“ then this child is NOT READY for a booster seat. If your over-40-pound child is not mature enough to sit properly in a booster вЂ“ i.e. No! Many 40 pound children are not mature enough to use a booster seat. Do I HAVE to transition my child to a booster once they reach 40 pounds? While many booster seats say that they can be used for children weighing as little as 30 pounds, it is best to wait until the child is at least 40 pounds (and has met the other minimums stated above) before using a booster seat.

The 5-point harness of a forward-facing car seat provides the best protection for pre-schoolersВ because it not only restricts movement, ensuring that toddlers are in the proper position should a crash occur, but also distributes the crash forces over a larger area of the body when compared to a safety belt and booster seat (two chest straps with the safety seatвЂ™s 5-point harness versus one chest strap with the safety belt.). Why shouldnвЂ™t my 3 year old 30 pound child use a booster?

Booster seat