California Booster/child seat laws.

[ThreeBeans]

Ok - my 11 year old DD is only 56lbs!!!

How tall is she? A 50th percentile 11 year old is 4'9"...which means that fully ONE HALF of eleven year olds still need belt positioning boosters.

 

[lori123]

How tall is she? A 50th percentile 11 year old is 4'9"...which means that fully ONE HALF of eleven year olds still need belt positioning boosters.

She is a shorty - only the 2nd % for both height and weight. Full grown they predict her to be under 5'. Can you imagine a 16 year old in a booster seat? There has to be a line.....

 

[ThreeBeans]

She is a shorty - only the 2nd % for both height and weight. Full grown they predict her to be under 5'. Can you imagine a 16 year old in a booster seat? There has to be a line.....

A line to consider might be post-pubescence, when the hips are fully developed.

The reason for this is that a booster acts essentially as a pair of false hips, holding the lap belt down and in place, preventing a catastrophic set of injuries called colloquially 'seatbelt syndrome'. This happens when a person in a lap belt or any person too small for a lap/shoulder belt is in a crash; as they move rapidly forward the lap belt rises onto their abdomens, crushing their organs and causing massive hemmorhage, 'compartment syndrome' and other life threatening injuries.

A very small post-pubescent woman is at less risk than a very large 8 year old of the same size, because she has much stronger and better developed hip bones. (Strength is due to puberty and age.)

However, almost no 11 year old girl is post-pubescent. I'm guessing at 56 pounds she's probably not much over 4 feet? She needs a booster, end of story. An accident in a lap-shoulder alone could kill her There are very inobtrusive, low profile backless boosters that are good for older children; you can't see them from the windows and no one needs to know she's riding in it unless she wants to tell (I'm a big fan of the Harmony Juvenile. It's only 13.50 and doesn't at all look like a child seat.)

 

[pixiewings71]

Well good luck to our laws ever catching up here. We live in a state where idiots can still ride in the back of a truck-see parents pick their kids up like this all the time from school. Couldn't believe it when I was told it was LEGAL.

Where do you live? If you're in CA I'm not sure what you are talking about because riding in the back of a truck is absolutely illegal, at least where I am it is. I also know that where my DD23 lives it's absolutely legal to ride in the back of a truck. We allow it but only when we are driving slowly down our families private roads.

She is a shorty - only the 2nd % for both height and weight. Full grown they predict her to be under 5'. Can you imagine a 16 year old in a booster seat? There has to be a line.....

My DD14 is like this, tiny tiny tiny....she's been out of a booster since she was 7 or so, but we also have a vehicle that has seat belts designed to adjust for smaller people. DD11 used a booster until she turned 8. She was the ONLY one of her friends that used one, I would actually give it to her friends parents when she had sleepovers, their kids (same age) were out of the boosters but not my girl. I was the one who chose when they were "big enough" to be done with boosters. I really do wish that CA would make the law 8 years AND 80 lbs but I know I'm in the minority.

 

[stubby]

Where do you live? If you're in CA I'm not sure what you are talking about because riding in the back of a truck is absolutely illegal, at least where I am it is. I also know that where my DD23 lives it's absolutely legal to ride in the back of a truck. We allow it but only when we are driving slowly down our families private roads.



Both the person I was responding to and I live in the wonderful state of AZ. I know it is not the only state that allows this(have relatives in a state that does also) but can't believe in this day and age it does.

 

[cyclenut]

I am very much concerned with the safety of my children and the truth is that many of today's newer vehicles have adjustable shoulder harnesses. If those will adjust low enough so that they come across the shoulder properly (not the neck) then it is safe for a child to wear that belt and harness without a booster seat. Most vehicles don't adjust for small children.

I would never suggest putting a kid in a lap belt only. There is more than enough medical science out there to show how dangerous that is. That is why all newer cars have shoulder harnesses for every seating position. What is safe for your child depends a LOT on the vehicle they are sitting in and how the seat belts are configured.

When in doubt, use a booster seat. If you really don't want to take this with you, call the rental car company and find out the make/model/yr of the vehicles you may be renting and research them. The only way to know for sure is to put your kid in that car and check the belt position so be prepared to do more than just a Internet research.

 

[DahliaRW]

I am very much concerned with the safety of my children and the truth is that many of today's newer vehicles have adjustable shoulder harnesses. If those will adjust low enough so that they come across the shoulder properly (not the neck) then it is safe for a child to wear that belt and harness without a booster seat. Most vehicles don't adjust for small children.

I would never suggest putting a kid in a lap belt only. There is more than enough medical science out there to show how dangerous that is. That is why all newer cars have shoulder harnesses for every seating position. What is safe for your child depends a LOT on the vehicle they are sitting in and how the seat belts are configured.

When in doubt, use a booster seat. If you really don't want to take this with you, call the rental car company and find out the make/model/yr of the vehicles you may be renting and research them. The only way to know for sure is to put your kid in that car and check the belt position so be prepared to do more than just a Internet research.

Actually, the shoulder fit is secondary. It's the lap belt portion that is critical. Most kids without a booster the belt is across their abdomen and in an accident their internal organs will take the brunt force. The booster makes it so the lap portion goes across their hips where the force is then spread in an accident, to prevent internal injuries. Regardless, no child should ride without a booster unless they pass the 5 step test. http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm Physics do not change even if the law isn't as stringent.

CA law does requires child restraints in at least van shuttles (not busses) and I would guess taxis as well. I know super shuttle has a statement on their website specifying that and saying that children must have one or they won't transport them.

 

[ThreeBeans]

I am very much concerned with the safety of my children and the truth is that many of today's newer vehicles have adjustable shoulder harnesses. If those will adjust low enough so that they come across the shoulder properly (not the neck) then it is safe for a child to wear that belt and harness without a booster seat. Most vehicles don't adjust for small children.

I would never suggest putting a kid in a lap belt only. There is more than enough medical science out there to show how dangerous that is. That is why all newer cars have shoulder harnesses for every seating position. What is safe for your child depends a LOT on the vehicle they are sitting in and how the seat belts are configured.

When in doubt, use a booster seat. If you really don't want to take this with you, call the rental car company and find out the make/model/yr of the vehicles you may be renting and research them. The only way to know for sure is to put your kid in that car and check the belt position so be prepared to do more than just a Internet research.

No, no, no, this is not at all accurate. Shoulder belt fit is important, yes, but having a shoulder belt too close to the neck will not kill a child. Poor lap belt fit will. "Adjustable" belts do absolutely nothing to fix poor lap belt fit. Only a booster will do that, until time does it for you.

EVERY child under 4'9" needs a booster. YOU CANNOT GET AROUND THIS BY USING AN ADJUSTABLE SHOULDER BELT.

 

[flying kiwi]

OMG I never thought about the laws in CA. Here is AZ my ds(6) hasn't been in a booster since he was about 4. He is tall for his age and he doesn't fit right in the booster chair. It is actually safer for him to be in a regular seatbelt. But if the CHP is taking the law the other way with the child having to be at least 6 and 60lbs, then I better dust off the old booster seat and get him use to sitting in it again, he will not be happy he thinks its for babys.

My children are in booster here at home... some one at school asked why they are a in "baby seat"... and they respond "we are in a 'safety' seat, not a baby seat"....

 

[DisSarahK]

My children are in booster here at home... some one at school asked why they are a in "baby seat"... and they respond "we are in a 'safety' seat, not a baby seat"....

Brilliant answer! Kudos to your children!