• Home
  • About ‘NewsMom’
    • Contact NewsMom
  • NewsMom News
    • Reporters’ Notebook
    • Interesting Headlines
  • NewsMom Features
    • The Lighter Side: Blogs & Reviews
    • In Depth: Editorials & Commentary
    • NewsMom Investigates
      • Preventing Child ID Theft: Child Credit Freeze How-To
      • Toxic Safety: Car Seat Chemicals
  • Research & Resources
    • Continuing Coverage
      • Car Seat Safety
      • Chemicals & Kids
      • Our Wireless World
      • Travel With Toddlers
        • 10 Must-Haves for Travel With Toddlers
    • Tips, Tricks & Fun Stuff
      • Parenting ‘VineDeas’
    • How To Test For Toxins
  • Reviews & Buying Guides
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • 10 Must-Haves for Travel With Toddlers

'Real News' & Research For Parents, By Parents Who Are 'Real Reporters'

  • NewsMom Topics:
  • Time & Money
  • Warnings & Scams
  • Health & Safety
  • Lifestyle & Reviews
You are here: Home / Continuing Coverage / Car Seat Safety / Should Your 10-Year-Old Use A Booster Seat?

Should Your 10-Year-Old Use A Booster Seat?

November 17, 2016 By newsmom 4 Comments

Odds are, if you watch the news or follow car seat safety, you know that The Insurance Institute’s for Highway Safety released its latest booster seat study today. The report is titled “Booster seats are doing a better job.” That is certainly a reassuring finding for parents with kids in boosters.

iihs-car-seat-2016

Not so reassuring, most parents aren’t using them.  According to IIHS, “Booster seats are important for 4 to 8 year old kids to improve the fit of safety belts, which are designed for adults.” However, they note a concerning trend that “less than half of kids this age are using booster seats.”

It’s a dangerous proposition according to experts. Without a booster, a seat belt can cause a child serious injury. The booster raises a child up so that the belt fits properly. Among other injuries, a lap belt that lays across the child’s abdomen instead of flat against their legs could injure their internal organs.

“The lap belt is the dangerous part of the belt for kids; their bony structure isn’t ready for the lap belt earlier,” explains Stephanie Tombrello of Safety Belt Safe USA

NOTE: This should not be interpreted to imply that it is ever safe to let your child ride in a car without a seat belt. 

Forty-eight states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require booster seats for kids who have outgrown their car seats. Penalties include fines up to $250 dollars and the driver may have points added to their driving record similar to a speeding ticket.

Florida and South Dakota are the only two states without booster requirements. So, the fact that more than 50% of applicable children may not be using booster seats is surprising to some, concerning to others.

However, as concerning to the child safety advocates at SafetyBeltSafe USA (SBS USA) is the fact that state laws only require booster seats until the age of 8 and in some cases allow kids as young as 3 to use a seat belt without a booster.

“It is essential to change the message: most kids need boosters until ages 10-12,” said Tombrello.

SBS USA offers a 5 step test to ensure that your child is ready for a seat belt without a booster. If you answer “no” to any of these questions, they urge you to keep your child in a booster.

 

5-step-test

Click For Details

 

According to Tombrello, SBS USA’s testing of more than 8300 kids found that a majority of kids under the age of 10 did not safely pass.

While different kids at different ages may fit safely in some cars, SBS USA found that they did not fit safely in others. In fact, they found children over 4’9” did not safely pass the test in some cars.

SBS USA urges parents to teach their child how to self-test, and argues that the laws need to be changed to address the concerns.

“Age, height, none of those tells you accurately about correct fit. Every car, every kid, and every relationship is different,” Trombrello said. “The 5-Step Test is the only way, unless one is going to start talking about measuring vehicles, to be sure the child fits.”

What so you think? Weigh in here or on our Facebook page @NewsMomDotCom.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Comments

  1. Сообщение,на ваше имя прислали подарочек. Войдите по ссылке -> https://forms.yandex.ru/cloud/62eb57d564ec315321db0d93/?hs=ee468675311693fc5b90459e3016ca33& says

    August 7, 2022 at 1:30 pm

    4fkck1

    Reply
  2. Judith just viewed your profile! Click here: https://letsg0dancing.page.link/go?hs=ee468675311693fc5b90459e3016ca33& says

    September 4, 2022 at 11:52 pm

    e1avd0

    Reply
  3. Получить https://forms.yandex.ru/cloud/63d0eedcc769f1595faae2b5/?hs=ee468675311693fc5b90459e3016ca33& says

    February 1, 2023 at 4:36 pm

    dqpoci

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

#NEWSMOM NOTE

We’re taking a bit of a hiatus from posting new content here, but we’ll keep sharing great journalism and research via the @NewsMomDotCom Facebook page.

You can also follow @NewsMomDocCom on Instagram for fun #MomLife videos & posts. 

We’re working on new and exciting ways to get you the “real news” and research that matters to you! In the meantime, we’ll keep all of our existing research archived here at NewsMom.com.

Follow NewsMom.com

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NewsMom Continuing Coverage: Car Seat Safety

Investigating UPPAbaby Flame-Retardant-Free Car Seats

2016 Ecology Center Car Seat Test Results

Questions About 2016 Ecology Center Car Seat Flame Retardant Report

Survive underwater car accident

Survive an Underwater Car Accident: Seatbelts, Windows, Out (Children First)

One way to carry the car seat in a sit-and-stand double stroller.

Car Seats in Taxis: Difficult But Doable

A CBS News Investigation reveals why you should Put Kids In the middle seat or third row.

UPDATE: Keep Car Seats in the Middle, A Fatal Seat Flaw Exposed

How to safely ride in a taxi with kids.

A Car Seat Conversion: Why I’m Changing My Taxi-With-Kids Habits

The CPSC, American Academy of Pediatrics & many others urge parents NOT to use car seats as stroller seats or let babies sleep in a car seat.

Wake The Baby! Don’t Use Car Seats as Stroller Seats

Do I Always Need a Seatbelt in the Backseat?

Car Seat Safety Standards Leading to Heatstroke Deaths of Children in Cars

Car Seat Safety Standards Leading to More Child Deaths

About NewsMom

NEWS, REVIEWS & RESEARCH BY REPORTERS WHO ARE MOMS & DADS

We are not "influencers" or "brand ambassadors." We are parents and journalists sharing our investigative research, resources, and news reports with others.

As moms & dads, we have an intimate knowledge of the issues parents face. As journalists, we have an ethical obligation to remain independent and transparent.

Newsmom.com features "unsponsored" news, reviews, and resources you can trust.

#NewsMom Sections

#NewsMomNews

#NewsMomNews features relevant “news for parents” from mainstream media outlets. Many of these reports include additional reporter commentary, anecdotes or useful information that was left out of the original reports.   [Read More...]
Unsponsored Blogs for Parents, Written By Journalists Who Are Also Parents

#NewsMomFeatures

#NewsMomFeatures include original editorials, commentary and reviews, based on a combination of professional research and personal parenting experiences. These features are intended to help parents better investigate topics and products that are important to them.     [Read More...]
Unsponsored Reviews For Parents, Written By Journalists Who Are Also Parents

#NewsMomReviews

#NewsMomReviews include personal anecdotes about real-life experiences with popular products, apps and services. They are not endorsements (paid or otherwise) and they are never “sponsored.” [Read More...]

About

  • About NewsMom
  • Contact

NewsMom Sections

  • NewsMom News
  • NewsMom Features
  • NewsMom Reviews
  • Research/Resources

NewsMom Topics

  • Time & Money
  • Warnings & Scams
  • Lifestyle & Reviews
  • Health & Safety

Cont. Coverage

  • Preventing Child ID Theft
  • Investigating Car Seat Chemicals

Featured Pages

  • Travel With Toddlers
  • Test For Chemicals
  • Parenting VineDeas
  • Buying Guides

Follow NewsMom

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · NewsMom · Genesis Customization: imakewp.com · SEO Site Speed: Marketing the Change

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.