Backless Booster Car Seat:
The children who are too tall for a high-back booster car seat will shift to backless booster seats and use vehicle seatbelts.
The backless car seats are designed to elevate the child to a height where the shoulder belt will be correctly placed over the collarbone and chest plate.
The basic height, weight, and age requirements for a backless booster car seats are:
- Height limit: up to 57
- Weight limit: 05-100 lbs.
- Age limit: 0-8+ years
Note: if the shoulder belt is not coming in the position as mentioned above, you can buy an additional shoulder belt positioning strap to adjust the shoulder belt accurately.
When To Change The Latest From An Infant Carrier To The Toddler Seat
Step 1: Check the weight/height limitation of your seat
If your infant carrier is approved to ECE R44-04, then your seat has a maximum weight based on its approval. This maximum weight must not be exceeded. But this does not mean that you can always use your infant carrier until you have reached this maximum weight, often babies outgrow their seat in height before they reach the weight. For this, check step 2!
If your infant carrier is approved to UN R129, then it has a maximum height given by its approval. This maximum height must not be exceeded. In most cases, the maximum height marks the end of when you can use the seat, but in addition, also check step 2!
Step 2: Check the shoulder belts and distance to the top of the seat
When the uppermost point of the babys head is approx. 2 fingers away from the highest point of the seat shell, you should change to a toddler seat. Ideally, you should look for toddler seats already some time before your baby has reached this point. This 2-finger-distance is recommended since it includes a buffer for upwards movement in case of an accident. Such a movement can happen if the belts are not perfectly tightened. Even though we know that parents do their best to always tighten the belts correctly, it can happen when in a rush or if the baby moves a lot that the belts are not as tight as they should be.
Do You Need A Child Car Seat In A Taxi Minicab Or Uber
A driver can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 isn’t in the correct car seat or wearing a seatbelt while you’re driving. However, there are exceptions to the law when travelling in taxis, minicabs and Ubers.
- Children under three can travel without a childs car seat or seatbelt, but only on a rear seat.
- Children aged three or older can travel in a rear seat without a childs car seat if they wear an adult seatbelt.
- A 2022 survey* by Which? found 52% of parents thought you could be fined if you don’t use a car seat for your child in a taxi.
If you have a child under three years of age, some experts feel the best option is to sit the child next to you on their own seat , or use your own car seat.
Holding them on your lap isnt the best option, because in the event of a serious crash your body weight may crush the child or, even worse, they may be flung out of the car.
We would recommend finding a taxi firm that can provide a car seat for when you travel, or bring your own.
*Survey carried out in February 2022 of 2,004 parents with a child under the age of five.
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Georgia Forward Facing Car Seat Laws
Georgia law does not state the rules on forward-facing either.
But the law requires the child to be secured in an appropriate child restraint system according to their height and weight under the basic age requirement of younger than 8 years of age.
Its best to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible when they reach the highest weight or height, then transition to a forward-facing car seat.
If an infant car seat is used, your child may use a forward-facing car seat when they reach 30 pounds or 35 pounds, depending on the car seat you have purchased.
This generally happens at the age of 12 and 18 months.
If you have used a convertible or all-in-one car seat, you can switch it to the forward-facing position once your child is in the toddler age around 2 years.
Texas Car Seat Laws Apply For
Drivers who ride with a child are responsible for keeping the child in an appropriate child restraint system.
Exceptions
operating a vehicle transporting passengers for hire, excluding third-party transport service providers when transporting clients pursuant to a contract to provide non-emergency Medicaid transportation or
transporting a child in a vehicle in which all seating positions equipped with child passenger safety seat systems or safety belts are occupied.
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When To Change The Earliest From An Infant Carrier To A Toddler Seat
We at BeSafe recommend you to use an infant carrier for as long as possible, as it gives you as a parent flexibility and offers your baby great side protection. However, you might consider changing to a toddler car seat earlier. In these cases, we recommend you to only change to a toddler car seat when your baby can sit by themselves, as toddler car seats typically are more upright and give a bit less stability than infant carriers.
Depending on which toddler seat you are choosing, make sure that your child has reached the minimum requirement of that seat. Based on its regulation, this can either be a minimum weight or a minimum height.
What Is Booster Seat Age
Booster seat age refers to the age of a child at which they are ready to move from a car seat to a booster seat. The appropriate age is generally at least 4 years old, but for various children may be a few years older. In fact, it’s safest for most kids to remain in a 5-point harness car seat until age 5 or 6.
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The Right Child Car Seat Size For The Right Age
Its best to use a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible until they are at least 15 months old. Wheel Well, advocate for Childrens Road Safety in South Africa, in their Golden Rules for Car Seats says that a child outgrows their car seat when they have reached the upper weight, height or age limit of the seat. Once your childs head is higher than the seat shell, you should be looking at getting the next size.
The best car seat is the one that fits your child properly, and is easy to use correctly and safely at all times. See a comprehensive breakdown of all the many types of car seat categories for children
Children With Medical Conditions Physical Disability Or Other Needs
If your child has a medical condition or physical disability, health professionals can work with you to choose a suitable child car seat and accessories for your childs needs.
Health professionals can also modify car seats if needed.
If youve had a car seat modified so that your child can use it, the car seat wont meet AS/NZS 1754. This means that youll need an exemption to use it.
Your health professional will give you a medical certificate for an exemption. Youll need to keep it with you in the car when your child is using the car seat. Youll also need an exemption if your child has to use a non-approved specialised car seat.
Check with your health professional, your state or territory road safety authority, or the Mobility and Accessibility for Children in Australia website for more information.
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Do Minibus Or Coach Firms Need To Provide Child Car Seats
Minibus or coach drivers and companies dont have to provide child car seats, so you’ll need to bring your own.
On coaches, there is no law requiring children to travel in a child car seat or to use a seat belt, if they’re not available.
For minibuses, all children need to travel in rear seats if a child car seat or adult seat belt is unavailable. Children aged three or older must use a child car seat if there’s one available. If there isn’t a car seat, they must use an adult seat belt.
Convertible Car Seat Weight Limit In Rear Facing
Convertible car seats can be used in rear- and forward-facing. When in the rear-facing mode, they can accommodate newborns between 4~5 to 40~50 pounds, according to different models.
For example, Graco Extend2Fit comes with a low weight limit of 4 pounds and a top weight limit of 50 pounds, making it one of our best recommendations for keeping babies rear-facing for a longer period of time.
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Car Seat Height Limit
Its the maximum height that a car seat can hold.
The vast majority of children will be too tall for their rear-facing car seat before reaching the seats maximum weight limit.
So its better to check your little ones height more often than the weight to know when to move them from rear-facing to forward-facing and to a booster.
Each type of car seat also has a similar upper height limit range.
Infant car seats are designed with a top height limit under 30~32 inches.
Convertible car seats are good to accommodate toddlers under 49~54 inches tall.
Booster seats are suitable for big kids below 57~63 inches.
The minimum height limit is normally forgotten because its much easier for kids to exceed this guideline during their growth.
Backless Booster Seat Requirements
Backless booster seats generally have the same requirements in childs age, weight, and height as the high back boosters. After all, they are in the same stage.
Some cases are exceptional. A few all-in-one car seats have a higher weight limit in the backless mode than in the high back mode. The Gracos 4Ever DLX and Grows4Me are two 4-in-1 car seats with a higher weight limit. The former supports 120 pounds in backless mode, compared to its 100 pounds top weight limit in high back mode. The latter allows for a 110 pounds backless weight limit compared to its 100 pounds high back weight limit.
Same as the high back boosters, it also required a child to be at least 4 years old to ride in the backless booster seats.
These are a common age, weight, and height limits of car seats at every stage. However, each state has its own requirements and laws for parents to ride a child in a vehicle. You should always check your local laws before taking your child traveling on the road. We have listed a brief introduction to all US states laws for child safety seats for your reference.
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When To Stop Using Your Toddler Seat The Latest
Step 1: Check the weight/height limitation of your seat
If your toddler seat is approved to UN R129, you have to stop using your seat once the maximum height of your seat according to its approval is reached. In addition, ISOfix-installed UN R129 seats also have a weight limitation which you can find on your seats approval sticker and/or user manual. It is time to change to another seat once your child has reached one of the two limitations, whichever comes first.
If your toddler seat is approved to ECE R44-04, the seat has a maximum weight which you can find on your seats approval sticker and user manual. Once your child has reached this maximum, you have to change. However, practically you might not always be able to use the seat until the maximum weight as your child can outgrow the seat in height before. Check step 2 for this!
Step 2: Check the shoulder belts and ear-to-headrest level
When the top of childs ears reaches the highest point of the headrest, it is high time to change.
Additionally, check how the shoulder belts are sitting on your childs shoulders and what your seats user manual advises about this. Many manufacturers say that the shoulder belts should not come from below your childs shoulders. So if the shoulder belts are not coming straight onto the shoulders anymore when having the headrest/belts in the highest setting, then its time to change as well.
What This Change Means For Parents
- Don’t be tempted to immediately move children to a forward-facing seat once they have outgrown their rear-facing-only infant car seat . At that point in time, children need to be moved to a convertible seat, but they should remain rear-facing.
- Most babies first outgrow their infant car seat by height rather than by weight, Thomas said. Because of that, we recommend that parents switch from a rear-facing infant seat to a rear-facing convertible car seat no later than your child’s first birthday.
- Once in a convertible seat, parents should keep children rear-facing until they have reach the height or weight limit for the seat.
- Rear-facing infant seats still provide the best fit for newborns and offer the convenience of a detachable carrier, so parents can expect to need a minimum of three seats to best protect their children through the car-seat years: a rear-facing infant seat, a convertible seat and a booster seat. See our car-seat timeline below.
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Child Car Seats/booster Seats
This is the car seat that your child will use for the longest time from approx. 4 years until 12 years. Using a high back booster seat instead of only a booster cushion ensures that your child is provided with a side impact protection during the whole period of use. We recommend you to use a high back booster seat for as long as possible, even if not required by national law anymore to give your child the best kind of protection.
Fitting A Child Car Seat
You must only use a child car seat if your cars seat belt has a diagonal strap, unless the seat is either:
- specifically designed for use with a lap seat belt
- fitted using ISOFIX anchor points
You must also:
- deactivate any front airbags before fitting a rear-facing baby seat in a front seat
- not fit a child car seat in side-facing seats
The Child Car Seats website has information on how to choose a seat and travel safely with children in cars.
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Infant Car Seat Weight Limit: 30
Infant car seats are rear-facing only. They are designed for newborns, babies, and small toddlers under 1 year old. However, the littles usually outgrow the height or weight limits of their infant car seats before their first birthday.
Most infant car seats come with a weight limit between 30 pounds and 35 pounds, depending on specific models. For example, the Chicco KeyFit 30 is designed for 30 pounds littles, while the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 is for 35 pounds infants.
Very few infant carseat like the Maxi Cosi Coral XP has a lower weight limit of as low as 22 pounds. However, its the most innovative and lightest infant car seat.
Its common that tall babies exceed the 35-pound weight limit, which happens at 12 months or 6 months for those who grow a bit faster than their peers.
Booster Car Seat Laws By States
Booster seats until the child is six years of age.
Alabama Car Seat Laws Section 32-5-222
over four years of age but less than eight years of age who is less than 57 inches in height and weighs 20 or more pounds but less than 65 pounds shall be properly secured in a booster seat that is secured by a seat belt system or by another child passenger restraint system that meets or exceeds the standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
Alaska Car Seat Laws Sec. 28.05.095
Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 49 in height may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt.
California Car Seat Laws Sec. 27363 /27360
Any person who transports a child under eight years of age, but not under five years of age, or weighing less than sixty pounds, but not less than forty pounds, in a motor vehicle on the highways of this state shall provide and require the child to ride rear-facing or forward-facing in a child restraint system equipped with a five-point harness or a booster seat secured by a seat safety belt .
Connecticut Car Seat Laws Sec. 14-100a
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What Is The Law For Child Car Seats
UK law states that children must use a child car seat until they’re 12 years old or 135cm/4ft 5in tall, whichever comes first.
However, safety experts recommend that you use a child car seat for all children under 150cm/4ft 11in. This is the legal requirement in Ireland and some other European countries, such as Germany and France.
For children weighing more than 36kg but under 150cm/4ft 11in, our advice is to go by height. Gov.uk states that children aged 12 or 13 years old, or younger and over 135cm tall, can wear a seatbelt.
Only an EU-approved car seat can be used in the UK. Child car seats approved outside of the EU can’t be used in the UK, and EU-approved car seats can’t be used in other countries, such as the US.
Buying the wrong child car seat could mean you’re putting your child’s life at risk, while also breaking the law.
Which? crash tests every car seat we review. We only recommend the best child car seats those that do well in crash tests are simple to install and easy to use.
Our child car seat side crash test simulates someone driving into the side of your car, at an impact speed of 30mph.
