OK, so you 'd think this would be an easy thing, however any info I find seems to be conflicting, and very...um, well, just not black and white. My question is about car seats and booster seats. My daughter is 5 and a half, she weighs 40 pounds and is 47 inches tall. She is really skinny. My youngest son in 4 and weighs 44 pound and is 44 inches tall....he's a bruiser. I am wondering what is the safest way for them to ride in cars. With the 5 point harness, or as a booster seat with just the seat belt. They both have a convertible car seat / booster seat. It says the weight limit is 40 pounds for the 5 point harness, however it also says if the child's shoulder is not above the highest strap for the 5 point harness I should still use the harness. Both kids still fit into the 5 point harness well, and they both fit fine in it as a booster with the seat belt too......Argh, I am just not sure what is safer......seeing as how everything I have read is one way or another and it's just getting frustrating. I would assume the 5 point harness would be best....and and I am just wanting to see what other mothers out there think, and do. Thanks for any input. I have an older son (11), and this was just easier to figure out when he was little.
OK, so I thank everyone for the input. It is sort of what I figured. I will switch my daughter back to the 5 point harness, and keep my son in it....until well, they just don't fit anymore. Then I will switch it into just the booster. I guess I wasn't clear in the original question, although I do appreciate the info some of you moms gave me, I wasn't looking to buy a new car seat / /booster. I already have really good ones, they have the 5 point harness, or can be converted into just a booster. I converted my daughters into a booster once she was 40 pounds, like most things I read, and the manual stated. But always felt she was just not safe w/ out the 5 point harness. I had did so much research about car seats and couldn't find things black and white, and that is just what you moms gave me, so thanks again for the input. God Bless.
Check out the Britax Frontier 85. It will 5 point harness your kids till 85 pounds and THEN they can use it for a booster with the seat belt till 100 pounds. We have one and LOVE IT!
Once the child goes above the weight limit on the seat it may no longer be able to protect them. It means the 5 point harness straps are only safety rated for up to 40Ibs. Five point harnesses are the safest seats and you can get them that go up to 80 Ibs but they can be really expensive. If your seat converts to a high back booster seat you can use it that way now with the cars seatbelt (not a lapbelt though).
5 point is safer because it holds them better. If they are still comfortable in the 5 point then leave it until they really don't fit well, then convert to booster. The booster really only helps raise the kids up so they can use the adult seat belt without it cutting them in the neck. Booster is still safer than just the seat belt or no seat belt. California Highway Patrol has safety guidelines and consumer reports.com has ratings for all the car seats and booster seats.
Hope this helps!
Your Dr and local Police station would probably tell you the five point harness. If you are in a high impact crash, a booster is not guaranteed to hold your child in. Child have been thrown from seat belts in a booster. They've done studies and reports that a five point harness is always safer, and to keep them in them longer than six yrs. Good Luck, Jenn
My kids went in to booster seats around 3 years old. They had a few issues of unbuckling and trying to get up but we just didn't travel out of town until they figured it out.
Google California state child seat laws and figure out what is the law. Some states say 6 years or 60 lbs for kids. Others say 8 years old or 80 lbs for child seats.
My son is 5 and a half and tall and lanky. He outgrew his Britax Marathon seat...just got too tall. So we moved him up to the Britax Frontier. He will be in a 5 point harness until he no longer fits into one. Too many safety issues with the regular seatback or backless booster seats. Another good 5 point harness seat is the Graco one (I can't remember the name). I think Babies R Us is having a sale on carseats right now. My friend is getting a second Graco 5 point harness booster seat for her hubby's car with this sale.
CA law is 6years and 60lbs. My son will be at least 8 before he hits 60lbs.
From my research that I did last year when deciding which seat to buy next, the 5 point harness ones are the safest. A few parents who unfortunately lost their children in car accidents made blogs or youtube videos about if they had to do it over again, they would have spent the extra money for a 5 point harness seat. Watching those sealed the deal for me. Yep, I would spend $200 + on the best 5 point harness seat I could afford.
With that said, most of my kids friends at preschool (my kids are 5 and 3) are in the backless boosters that run about $30 at Walmart. My kids are the only ones still in 5 pt harnesses.
Do your self a favor and go to www.seatcheck.org and find a local, FREE, safety seat inspector near you. They can answer any & all questions about car seats and boosters.
