The state also recommends that they stay in a booster seat until they are 100 pounds in weight or 49 in height although this is not mandatory. In this state all children who weigh less than 80 pounds or are under eight years of age need to be in a booster seat or appropriate car seat. But every child and every car is different so make sure your vehicles seat belt fits the child in question before ditching that booster seat. Recommended car seats based on your childs age and size. Heres a simple lesson to help you navigate the age requirements weight limits and various styles of childrens car seats. There may not be a perfect size to determine booster seat usage but the childs height will ultimately help determine how the lap belt fits.
Babies grow at different rates so whether you choose a car seat based on their weight or their height their age should not come into your decision on when to move up to the next car seat size. Since laws regarding the childs height weight and age vary by state be sure to use the map above to find laws applying to your state. Kids can next move to a belt positioning booster seat when they reach the weight and height harness strap limits of their forward facing car seat. The three stages of car seats. Typically group 0 car seats last until around 13kg while i size baby car seats may have an upper height limit of 75cm to 83cm. Keep in mind that many convertible car seats and combination car seats have forward facing weight limits of 65 to 80 pounds when used with harness straps.
Does my older child still need to use a booster seat. Car seat requirements cheat sheet infographic rear facing seats forward facing seats booster seats the safety guidelines all start to blend together after a while. To maximize safety keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible as long as the child fits within the manufacturers height and weight requirements. Children may begin using a booster seat as early as the age of 3 but the car seat lady asserts that as many as 50 percent of 10 year old children still require booster seats for optimum lap belt placement. Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12. Except for florida and south dakota all us states and the district of columbia and puerto rico require children who do not properly fit into adult seat.
That usually happens between the ages of 10 and 12 when the child is close to five feet tall or 120 pounds. Front facing car seats are designed for larger toddlers and often expand until a childs large enough for only a booster seat again dependent on the childs weight and height. The american academy of pediatrics aap recommends babies be in rear facing seats until age 2 or until they reach the car.
Gallery of Booster Car Seat Weight Height Requirements
