Booster Seats help protect your older child.

Which booster seat does my child need? Currently all booster seats sold in the United States today, meet the U.S. government's stringent fire and crash-safety standards. This insures that any seat that is bought new is technically safe. However the same can not always be said for secondhand booster seats or seats that were purchased more than a few years ago. Many may not have been designed to meet the current safety standards or worst yet many times older booster seats have been recalled for safety violations. Even if a used booster seat meets the current government standards, safety issue's can still be present if the booster car seat is installed or used incorrectly. So which is the safest booster seat for your child? Read on before you purchase.



When a child grows too big for a convertible car seat or a toddler seat (check the manufacturer's recommendation to be sure) we advise that you purchase a booster seat. Typically if a child weighs 40 pounds or less then parents should use a toddler car seat. However if the child is about 4' 9" is over 40 pounds and at least between 8 and 12 years of age (this is often referred to as School-aged children) then chances are good that the child has out grown the model car seat that the have used and it is time to put them in a booster seat.

There are two main types of booster child seats.

There are two types of booster seats: a high-back seat: these are chair like seats that support your child's spine, torso, neck, and head; and then there are backless seats: this style simply raises your child's rear so that they sit higher in your car's own seat. Which seat type that is best for your child mainly depends on what kind of rear seats you have in your vehicle.

If the rear seat of your car, truck or SUV has a low back, you are better off with a high-back model, that seat will provide your child with better head and neck support should a rear end collision occur. If the rear seats in your vehicle are high enough to support the head and neck of your child but are deeply contoured then a backless car seat model will sit firmly on the seat and a simple booster should be less likely to tip over or rotate than a high-back style seat. A few auto safety experts feel that the edge goes to backless seats because that style allows a child to sit farther back in the seat. (Something to note: Do not use backless boost seats that use a shield-type enclosure. This older model is not longer considered safe for children.)

Beware Of: Stay away from older booster seats that use plastic tray bars or any T-shaped shields. This is not a safe design since they distribute the crash forces during a collision to the belly area, a very vulnerable area of any child. Often times these seats are less comfortable as well.

Whichever type of seat you choose, it is advised that you check with the manufacturer to see if there is a positioning guide whether the rear seat of your vehicle has a shoulder belt or a lap belt only. The booster seat guide should show you how to install so that it allows the belt to retract easily. Your child's size is another consideration. If your child is on the stocky side, then you need to look for a booster seat with an adjustable base, or at least wide enough not to cause your child discomfort during car trips. If your child is tall or big for their age then look for a high back booster seat that has higher shoulder strap slots and a roomier base.

So in conclusion, the safest booster seat, therefore, is the one that best fits your child and your car and is easiest for you to use.