Booster Seats Aren't for Babies or Toddlers

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Why booster seats are only for big kids

By Cara Miller

A booster seat protects a child’s under developed body in a crash and raises the child up so that the adult seat belt is positioned on them properly over the strongest areas of a child's body, the pelvis and the chest. When your child has outgrown their harnessed forward-facing car seat (between 40-65 pounds depending on the seat) they can move to a booster seat until the seat belt fits them properly. Many provinces now have booster seat legislation. Use this chart to see the guidelines for your province.  

Best practice is for your child to remain in a booster until at least 4 ft 9 inches in height, 9 years of age and 80 pounds, always refer to your booster seat's instruction manual for specific height and weight limits. Kids torso heights often differ in a seated position, so always make certain that the child can be seated properly before moving them out of their booster seat into a seatbelt only (see The Seat Belt Test). Most children need a booster seat for safety until they are between 10 and 12 years of age.

Common errors with booster seat use

• The booster seat does not fit the car or child properly. When buying your first booster, just like a car seat, always ensure it fits not only your vehicle but your child as well.
• The shoulder belt is improperly positioned or shoulder belt guide on the booster seat is not used. This is a safety feature to position the belt properly  over the child's mid shoulder and should be used always.
• The shoulder belt is placed under the arm or behind the back. In the event of a crash with the shoulder belt positioned this way it could lead to one of the heart's main blood vessels being severed and/or puncturing of the lungs.
• The lap portion of the seat belt is positioned over the child's abdomen when it should be properly positioned on their hips. In a crash a lapbelt placed over the abdomen could result in severe internal injuries to the organs and/or spinal column.
• The vehicle's seatbelt is placed over the booster's armrests instead of under it. Your booster's manual always shows the correct path and it is never over the armrest of the booster seat.
• The seatbelt isn't tight enough. The child or the parent doesn't pull the belt slack tight after fastening the seat belt.
• Many parents move their children to a booster seat for the convenience factor of not always having to buckle them into the 5 pt harness anymore. This is a misconception as it takes a lot of coordination for a child to position everything properly each time and the parent should always assist. Booster training is important and a parent should oversee the child everytime they buckle up until they are comfortable doing it correctly on their own.

Booster seat FAQ's

1. Do booster seats have the same rules as car seats regarding expiration?

Yes. The majority of car seats and booster seats expire after 6 years from the date of manufature.  See this LIST from Transport Canada broken down by manufacturer.

2. No back or high back booster? What is the big difference?

A low-back or no-back booster seat should only be used only in vehicles with high seat backs or head rests.  If the mid-point of the child's ears are higher than the head rest or seat back, then a high-back booster would be a better choice.

High-back booster seats give better protection in side-impact crashes, they are the best choice if your vehicle seats have low-backs or no head rests. High-back boosters also have belt positioning guides near the shoulder to help position the seat belt across the child's body for a better fit.


3. What are the booster seat laws in Canada?

Each province dictates their own traffic laws including legislation when it comes to child passenger safety. See this chart to find out the laws in your province. If your province does not have a booster seat law, it is still recommended to have your child in a booster seat until at least 4'9", 80 pounds and 9 years of age and they can pass this 5 Step Test of seatbelt readiness.  Many kids still need boosters until closer to 10 to 12 years of age.

4. My child now weighs 40 pounds. Should I move him to a booster seat right away?

Yes and no. This will depend on your current car seat and the maturity of your child.  If your current car seat can only be used until your child reaches 40 pounds you'll need to either move him to a booster seat or purchase another harnessed car seat with a higher forward-facing limit than 40 pounds. Many harnessed car seats sold in Canada can now harness a child to 65 pounds.

Another important factor when deciding if your child is ready for a booster seat or should continue to be harnessed in a car seat is the child's developmental maturity. If your child is not mature enough to understand the importance of sitting up straight and having the seat belt positoned across the body correctly 100 percent of the time, he may be better suited in a high weight harnessed seat than being in a booster seat. See Car Seats and Extended Harnessing for more details.

5. How old is too old for a high-back booster?

As long as your child still fits in the seat and the seat belt guide is no lower than their shoulders, the shoulder portion of the seatbelt across the chest and the lap portion of the seatbelt is across the upper thighs and not too low or too high. They must also be within the weight range of that particular booster seat.

6. Can I use my child's booster seat with a lap-only belt?

Never use a booster seat with a lap-only belt. Lap/shoulder belts combinations have been legally required in vehicle back seats since 1989, but some vehicles still have lap only belts in the centre seating position.  If you only have lap-only belts in your vehicle, look into a higher weight harnessing car seat instead of a booster seat.

Always remember a "step-up" in child restraint is a "step-down" in safety.