Booster seats used in conjunction with seat belts in your vehicle are for children who are too large for toddler seats but too small for seat belts. A booster seat can better protect your child because it raises them up so the seat belt fits right. There are two types of high back booster seats that fit in your car. One is used only lap shoulder belt that provides back and neck support for your child in case your vehicle doesn’t have that support and the other converts from a forward-facing toddler seat to a booster seat and is equip with a harness. When your toddler outgrows this seat you can remove the harness and use the lap/shoulder belt in your vehicle.
Another type of booster seat is the no-back belt-positioning seat. It is used with a lap/shoulder belt in cars that have built in head and neck support.
Here are some guidelines for restraining your child in a booster seat:
The shoulder belt should cross the child’s chest and rest snugly on the shoulder. The lap belt should rest low across the pelvis or hip area not on the stomach.
Your child’s ears should not be higher than the vehicle’s seat’s back cushion or the back of the high back booster seat.
If your car seat is involved in an accident it should always be replaced no matter what type of seat you have. Many parents ask “What is the safest seat for my child?” The answer is “ the seat that best fits your child, your vehicle and your budget.” There is no one safety seat that is the safest to use, however there are certain companies and brands that have a higher safety and consumer rating than others. Of course the safety features mentioned above are strongly recommended and are included on almost every car seat on the market today. They have to be approved and meet government standards in order to be sold in the United States. The best advice for parents who are shopping for a safety seat is to do some research first and become educated about the safety features and the type of seat that will best suit your child.