How to Choose a Car Booster Seat

New car booster seats can vary in price from $20.00 to $300. So what’s the difference? Much of it has to do with the safety and comfort of the child using the car booster seat. What is required by law is basic, but the individual choices are many. New booster seats often are not expensive, and may be safer than used seats. Used car booster seats that have been in an automobile accident, may not still be safe, and some used booster seats have been recalled. Here are some steps to help choose a new car booster seat.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Study what the law requires both nationally and at state level for the purpose of car booster seats. This may be as simple as helping the child sit higher, so that the seat belt fits properly. Just searching for “car booster seat requirements” on the internet can quickly answer these questions.

2. Learn how a seat belt should be safely worn for a child. If the belt is in the wrong position, it could hurt the child. This information can also be found on the government website that tells the what the law requires in car booster seats.

3. Check the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics for what to look for in a car booster seat. The link is given below.

4. Note crash test ratings when searching the web for car booster seats.

5. Decide if a five point harness is necessary. Some people feel strongly that their child still needs the safety of this kind of buckle in a booster seat. Others feel that not much safety is sacrificed for the convenience of a car booster seat the uses the regular car seat belt.

6. Read comments of other people who bought the car booster seats considered to get insight into what will fit your needs the best.

7. Designate use of car booster seat. The car booster seat the child rides in everyday may be different from the
   car booster seat used in grandma’s car. This may be due to ease of lifting in and out of the car, and ease of buckling a child in. What is defined as easy may be different for a parent, caretaker, and grandparent.

8. Observe friends’ children sitting in their car booster seats. Can the child see out the window? Can the child rest comfortably? Is the seat better for a bigger or smaller child? Does the seat securely fasten in the backseat of the car?

9. Take advantage of car accessories. If your car has an adequate head rest for a child to sit on a backless car booster seat, a high back booster may not be needed. If your car offers a LATCH --Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children-- system, getting a car booster seat with LATCH may make installation easier and more secure.

10. Ask your child what s/he feels most comfortable riding in and what s/he likes. You may even be able to borrow friends’ booster seats to try out a variety before buying. After all, it is our precious children we are buying the seat for, and they often have valuable input for choosing a car booster seat.

Tips & Warnings

• For help with installing car booster seats properly, check the Child Safety Seat Inspection Locator at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm. The link is given below.
• Never leave a child alone in a car .

Resources

• Child Safety Seat Inspection Locator
• American Academy of Pediatrics--Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2009