When do you change your toddler from a car seat to booster seat?

Kimber - posted on 01/09/2011

You can also usually call the police department (non emergency line of course) and ask them. They typically have all of the information. They even had my daughters dad bring her in to weigh her and be sure she was big enough to move to forward facing and gave him all of the information he needed about carseats. (As a first time father this really made him happy)

Dawn - posted on 01/09/2011

I think you should call the department of motor vehicles to find out the state requirement for children in car seats. My son was 4 when he moved into a booster seat because of his height and weight.

Theresa - posted on 01/09/2011

You can pick up a pamphlet at your child's doc's office that will tell you all the height and weight requirements for your state. You also have to go by what the seat is rated for. 5 point harnesses are much safer. The only time you should really use a booster is if the child is too big for the 5 point harness seat, but doesn't quite fit into a seat belt yet. It's just to help with height so the shoulder and lap belts fit them correctly.

Wendy - posted on 01/09/2011

Thank you I dont think im going to put him in a booster seat cause they are usafe just buy what i am getting told I will keep im in a car seat. Thank you very much

Iridescent - posted on 01/09/2011

It's very odd. You put your child's arms in like a vest (it IS a vest, really) and a 6 inch velcro strip connects over their torso. You buckle the buckles over that. They sit in the seat, and you hook the tether to the top of the vest in a loop for it. You attach a crotch strap under their bottom and through the front bottom loop. Then the seat belt is put across them, latched, and you pop the belt through loops for it - two across the bottom, and one over the shoulder. The one over the shoulder is then covered with a velcro pad. When they stay in the vehicle, it's only a couple steps vs all of them (arms in, velcro, buckle, hook crotch strap, and loop through one of the seat belt loops that has to come off to get out). Last, you pull the seat belt down all the way when the car has a locking seat belt so it locks, and pull tight. They are really so fast!



The seat belt loops are an oblong with a notch in each to the bottom front for putting them in. No way of accidentally falling out, metal, very secure. Also never a problem with the one piece seat belts as that's all we have.

Amanda - posted on 01/09/2011

Keep your toddler in their car seat as long as possible!!!

Sherri - posted on 01/08/2011

Amy those are super neat I have never heard or seen one of those before. Since you have one can I ask how you buckle the seat belt through it especially if your lap and shoulder strap don't separate??

Iridescent - posted on 01/08/2011

We got the RideSafer Vest http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t... - it is excellent. The laws for boosters vary by state and I simply don't feel they are safe enough. The vest is actually excellent, and there is a link in the CarSeat.org post for the actual crash test ratings and videos. We had to go with a 5-point harness for safety.

Wendy - posted on 01/08/2011

Thank you so much.

Sherri - posted on 01/08/2011

Never well in my case, I won't be. You need to check the laws in your state most are 4 yrs old AND 40lbs. I bought my son the Britax 5pt harness car seat and the straps will fit him till he reaches 65lbs. My plan is to keep in it until he reaches the 65lb weight limit. Nothing is worth risking my childs safety in the car. I personally despise boosters and find them virtually useless, so it is the 5pt harness for as long as humanly possible for us.