Choosing a Booster Seat

You know that your child has outgrown his convertible car seat, but how do you know which type of booster seat to purchase? A booster seat generally fills the gap between a convertible child safety seat and the vehicle lap and shoulder belt combination. There are three basic types of boosters available.

High back booster with 5-point harness

• For the child who is about 35 to 80 pounds.
• Provides head and neck protection in back seats without head restraints. The 5-point harness provides full body protection. The removable harness can be used until a child reaches 40 pounds, and then converts the booster seat to a belt-positioning booster in which a child uses the vehicle lap and shoulder belts for restraints.

Belt-positioning booster

• For the child who is 40 to 80 pounds
• The child sits in the booster seat and uses the vehicle lap and shoulder belts for restraint. Both belts together offer better protection than lap belts alone.

Shield booster

• Some of these boosters have removable shields. When the shield is removed, the booster seat becomes a belt-positioning booster using the vehicle lap and shoulder belts for restraint. Never allow a child to sit in the booster seat without the shield while using only the lap belt. (Without shield for a child from 40 to 80 pounds.)
• A shield booster seat, with the shield in place, is recommended for use when only a lap belt exists in the back seat. (For a child with maximum weight of 40 lbs.)

It is important to remember a few tips when shopping for a booster seat.

• All booster seats are required by law to comply with the same standards and guidelines as child safety seats.
• When buying a booster seat, make sure that it has a label stating: This child restraint system conforms to all applicable U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
• Never use a booster seat that has been in a crash. The seat may have defects that are not visible.
• Read the booster seat instructions and your vehicle owner's manual before installing the booster seat.