What Age Should Children Be In Booster Seats?
Like babies, older children are also at risk of serious injury in the event of a vehicle accident, which is why a safety tested booster seat is essential for ensuring the proper protection of your child when driving. In particular, when selecting a booster seat you should take into consideration:
1. The height of your child
2. Your child’s age
Generally, booster seats are recommended for children aged between 4 to approximately 10 years old, depending on their height.
What Age Is Too Young For A Booster Seat?
It is important not to graduate your child from a convertible car seat to a booster seat too early. Research has shown that children aged between 2 and 5 years are 3.5 times at risk of serious injury when wearing an adult seatbelt and 4.2 times at risk of a head injury than children in a proper child restraint. Here at Britax Australia, we believe in ‘Harnessed Safety For Longer’. Our Maxi Guard PRO™ and Maxi Guard™ are great examples of car seats in our range which are suitable for growing children from approximately 6 months to 8 years of age, depending on their height. These forward-facing car seats with an in-built 6 point Hassle Free Harness™ are appropriate for growing children and, keep your child securely restrained and safer for longer.
When Should Your Child Graduate Out Of A Booster Seat?
Children are often moved into an adult seat belt way too early. We recommend that you only consider moving your child out of their booster seat after they have exceeded the exit height markers on their current seat and can no longer sit comfortably in the restraint. Adult seatbelts are designed for a minimum height of 145cm but their height is not the only indicator, you should also consider how they sit in the seat.
Please assess the following factors by testing how your child seats in an adult seat:
- Can your child sit with their back against the vehicle seat?
- Do your child's knees bend in front of the edge of the seat cushion?
- Is the lap belt sitting low across your child's hips and touching their thighs?
- Does the sash belt sit across the middle of your child's shoulder?
- Can your child stay seated correctly like this for the entire trip without slumping?
- If your child wriggles or slumps in their seat, the lateral support provided by a booster seat reduces the risk head, neck and abdominal injury.
With a greater range of booster seats available for children up to 10 years of age (approx., depending on their height) it is recommended that parents keep their child in a booster seat until they fully comply with all of the above requirements. Please remember to always refer to the height markers on your seat for the usage duration.
The tallest seats available; Kid Guard™ and Kid Guard PRO™ allow children to travel in safety for longer. They are the only boosters of their kind that are certified to the Australian Standard for use up to ten years of age!
Discover our range of reliable and reputable boosters seats to ensure your child is always safe when travelling in the car today and every day – no matter how short the trip.
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