Can the child sit all the way back against the auto seat? Have your child sit in a back seat with their bottom and back against the vehicle’s seat back.

When your child reaches 4 feet 9 inches, use the Safety Belt Fit Test to determine if the child is ready to use the adult seat belt without a booster. Use the seat belt fit test below with your child in every vehicle. Every vehicle is different every seat is different. You can use a high-back booster, or a backless booster seat, depending on your needs.īest practice is to use a booster until the seat belt fits correctly, no matter the age, height or weight of the child. Children 8 or older, or who are 57 inches tall or 80 pounds, may use the lap and shoulder seat belt if it fits properly. Pennsylvania law requires all children who are under age 8 to be properly buckled into a child safety seat or booster in the back seat. As children get older, using a car seat or booster seat may feel more like an option rather than a requirement. Still not convinced? Children 4 to 8 years old seated in a booster seat in the back seat of the car are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash than children using only a seat belt.Ĭhoosing the right car seat is high on the list for any new parent, and every parent plans to leave the hospital with a newborn securely buckled in a car seat. Seat belts are designed for adults, not children. Instead, have them transition to a booster seat that enables the adult seat belt to fit properly. Children who have outgrown their car seats are not quite ready for a seat belt only, although they might try to convince you otherwise.

Chop car seat check