Car Seat or No Car Seats

Both my kids are in Britax Frontier booster seats. They can remain in a 5 point harness until 85 lbs and then a belt guide until 100 lbs. They will remain in them for as long as possible. Most likely until 10 unless they outgrow their seats prior.

They sit higher, have cup holders and I know they are safe.

I don't care if they can sit in a regular booster seat, this won't stop them from submarining in an accident and the regular seatbelt could fail in an accident.

To me my kids safety is more important.

You need to google car seat laws for California. Most states are 6 years old or 60 lbs but some still have the 8 years old or 80 lb law. My kids and every person I know put their kids in boosters at 3 years old with just regular seat belts over their lap.

Why not put them in boosters? (Though if they're not complaining about the 5 point harnesses, no reason to change what works).

My four children were all small...30 lbs. in kindergarten. But no way were they gonna sit in car seats by kindergarten...they were "big" kids then. I'm surprised kids haven't made fun of your two at 7 1/2. You/they are lucky if it hasn't happended yet. Booster seats work well and they really are less 'obvious' in a car and still give the needed protection if thats what you're worried about. Think about it...most of us who are older NEVER grew up with car seats, let alone seat belts. Glad they have them now, but we can become overworried.

I'm guessing that you've already done this, but I googled the car seat law for CA. Here's what I found: http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/safeseat.html

"New law beginning January 1, 2005
Children MUST be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) IN THE BACK SEAT OF A VEHICLE until they are at least 6 years old or weigh at least 60 pounds."

Somewhere there is also a recommendation of exactly how a shoulder belt should fit. I've found this: "The importance of a correct fit of safety belts is often overlooked. However, a safety belt can not provide maximum protection if it is not worn correctly. The shoulder belt should cross the shoulder between the neck and arm and the lap belt must be as low as possible and at least touching the thighs."

And this: http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html#Q9

"Q9: When can my child be in a regular seatbelt without a booster?

Children are not ready to be in a regular lap/shoulder seatbelt until:

They are tall enough so that their legs bend at the knees at the edge of the seat; and
They are mature enough to remain seated with their backs flat against the back of the seat and not slouch; and
The lap belt sits high on the thighs or low on the hips (NOT on their tummy!); and
The shoulder belt crosses the shoulder and chest (NOT on their arms or neck!); "

So, my answer would be--see how they fit without the seat. My kids are both over 40#, but still need the booster to fit the shoulder belt properly.

As others have mentioned, the law is 6 years AND 60 pounds (so both of your kids still need to be in at least belt-positioning boosters by CA law). The "safe" recommendation is to have them in a booster until they are at least 4'9". My daughter just reached this height - she'll turn 8 next month but she's VERY tall for her age. Most kids this age are still in booster seats that I've seen.

A 5-point harness does NOT equal a "baby seat". And what's with the insulting comments? Grow up and get informed, ladies.

MANY carseat manufacturers have (finally) gotten wise to the fact that not every child fits into the "legal" safe sizes at the appointed age. We purchased the Graco Nautilus for our son (who just turned 5) when he outgrew his convertible carseat last year and it offers safe 5-point harnessing for up to 65 pounds. (There are quite a few other options in this type of product, I'm happy to say.)

Seat belts malfunction. User error, the age of the automobile, the size of the child... all are factors that could potentially cause your child to be improperly restrained, using just a car's seat belt and under-the-bottom booster.

I'm not willing to put my child's life on the line when he is just not big enough to protect himself or understand the potential dangers of messing around with his seat belt. It's 5-point for me! (This particular model converts to highback and backless boosters when we are ready as well! Win-Win!)

Here is some info from carseat.org :

The 5-Step Test.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!

They cannot break their collar bones in a 5pt harness car seat, thats totally false! Good grief!

At 7.5yr old they are mature enough to sit in booster seat full time. Look for a high back because they are short and the side impact support is very imporant.

Also, check the car seats you own. If its not a britax, Sunshine Kids Radian, Graco Nautilus or one of the newer seats (within the last year or two) they have probably otugrown it. Older seats only harness to 40lbs. A car seat is outgrown when one of three things happens; the child goes over the weight limit, the tops of the ears are level with the seat back, or the shoulders go over the top harness slot. if even one of these has happened, get htem out of those seats ASAP! Many seats are misleading to parents who think it harnesses up to 100lbs when in reality its only 40lbs nad thne booster to 100lbs.

They are safe to sit in a seatbelt only (no car seat or booster) when they can sit with their back against the seat, knees bent at the edge, feet on the floor, shoulder belt across the chest andshoulder properly, and lap belt low on the hips and NOt up on the belly. But at their height and weight, a booster is necessary.

Check to confirm the limits on their car seats (if unsure put them here and I can tell you), and if they are outgrown move them to a high back booster. They aren't ready for adult belt only, they need a booster or their current car seats if they haven't outgrown them.

The law says 6 years old and 60 lbs. (Both...not whatever comes first).
(I'm in California too). But they don't need a 5 point harness, they should probably be in a booster seat. There are weight maximums on harness seats (check the label for the one you have). It isn't safe if they have exceeded the maximum limitations of the seat regardless of age.

I live in WA and our law is 4'9" or 80lbs. The reason for the heighth is so that the belt fits them correctly. I have an 8 year old who will still be in a booster seat if the seat belt doesn't fit him correctly and I don't care how he feels about it. I want him safe.
I would sit your kids on a booster, they are quite light still, and see how the seat belt fits them. You can also take them out of the booster and see how the belt goes accross their chest. You don't want it up and choking them!
I think just putting them in a booster will make them feel "older" and still keep them safe until they are a bit bigger. Better safe than sorry.
L.

well i say be safe then sorry..it may take u a while to buckel them down but its better then them getting hurt or a ticket..even if its just around the conner..no matter the time or place accidents are accidents..lol :)

There is a possibility of them breaking their collar bone in the 5 pt. Pls pls take them out!!!! Put them in a booster. Ther have been cases of older/bigger kids breaking their collar bones if they are in an accident. It is not safe for them to be in that if they r over the max weight!!!

At 50 lbs and 45 inches, my daughter was complaining that the buckle was hurting her crotch. I have her in a booster now.

The recommendation is 57 inches tall (4ft 9in). That is recommendation, but some states also have laws concerning car seats. In some states 4 ft 9 in is the law and in other states it is a recommendation but you will need to check on the exact law. You can probably contact you local police department and ask what the law is for your state. Regardless of the law, I would keep them in booster till they are 57 inches tall. The reason why is that the seat belt goes across there neck if they are much shorter that 57 inches and can cause serious injury's or even death if you are in a serious car accident.

I've read most of the answers on here and see that many people gave you the legal requirements. The safest way to restrain someone is in a 5-point harness as long as they fit properly. I would keep them where they are until the car seat is outgrown. Then, the next safest is in a booster seat since it helps position the seat belt properly. My daughter is 8 1/2 and still in her Britax Frontier.

use a booster seat! i know at 5 they legally dont need anything. my son is 9 and still uses a booster!

I will try to keep my kids in 5 point harness seats until they out grow them. Then in boosters until they out grow those, even if the law states they don't need them. Better safe than sorry.

I asked at the Dr office the other day, and they said it is 6yrs old & 60lbs. I keep reading how great it is to keep them in the 5 pt is. And read something the other day say car crashes are the #1 killer in children. So it doesn't hurt to leave them in.

If they're comfortable, I'd say leave them be. But at 7, they do understand the idea behind safety, and as long as they stay seated with just a belt on, then I would say that is just as good. In Ohio, where I live, it is my understanding that the law and the suggestion are 2 different things. I'm not sure in CA.

On a different note, the law suggesting 4'9", is really funny to me. I know 30 year old women who are 4'9" and they have to use a booster? lol funny stuff.

Why not just go with booster seats?

My daughter was in a booster seat until 5th grade.
YMMV
LBC

Your kids are big enough for a Booster Seat - the don't have to be in the 5 point harness. The point of the booster seat is to hold the seatbelt in the correct position so it doesn't injure them if there is an accident. The new rules in CA recommend a booster until 80 pounds. Your kids are old enough to be out of a booster but not big enough. My son is going to be 8 next month. He weighs 70 pounds and he is about 53 inches... I'm keeping him in the booster seat until I'm confident the strap won't cut his neck.

Hi, this is a good question I get a lot. I am a Child Passenger Safety Tehcnician and Instructor here in CA. While the law states that you can put a child in a seat belt only when they reach 6 years OR 60 pounds here in CA, the truth of the matter is that a child should be taken out of a booster seat only when they fit properly in a 3 point seat belt system. You can tell if they fit by making sure they sit all the way back in the vehicle seat, their knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat, their feet touch the floor of the car, the shoulder belt fits them across the chest/sternum (not up on the neck area) and the lap belt fits them low across their hips (NOT stomach) - it should actually touch the tops of their thighs and that they can sit this way the entire car trip. If one of thoese does not occur, they probably need to remain in a booster seat. The rule of thumb is that most kids can fit without a booster seat if they are 4' 9" tall. Seat belt systems are designed for the average size male, so you can imagine that most 6 year olds do not fit these systems.

In California the law now is 4 and 40 pounds to move from a 5 point harness into a booster seat. I'm surprised the other kids haven't given your kids a hard time about sitting in a "baby" seat. The law changes again at 6 and 60 pounds to move into a regular seat with shoulder straps but still in the back seat of the car. Although it should be based on height at that point and not age & weight. I do still put my 5 year old in a 5 point harness because he is less than 40 pounds and my 8 year old is still in a booster because she is less than 60 pounds although she is probably tall enough to go without. The 8 or 80 pounds law is obsurd, I weighed 80 pounds in 8th grade, no way you can get an 8th grader to sit in a booster seat.

I noticed some wrong information regarding California law in the comments below and wanted to clarify. The law (Vehicle Code Section 27360 Child Passenger Restraints Requirements) states that a child must be in a rear seat with a child passenger restraint until they are 6 years old OR 60 pounds. You can check out http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc27360.htm to see the vehicle code yourself.

With that said, those requirements are not necessarily the safest. First, you'll want to check the height/weight limitations of the car seat your kids are using. Additionally, I think height is critical in determination because if the seat belt hits the child on the neck, then that can be dangerous during a collision. I'm only 5'2" and sometimes I think I need a booster seat.

My son started using a booster seat when he was 4 and stopped sitting in a it when he was 7. My daughter is 6 and still using a booster seat. My girlfriend's daughter is extremely thin and still is below 60 pounds. Her mom decided to keep her in a booster seat until this year at 11 just because of her very slim build.

At any rate, I wanted to clarify the California law. I hope this information helps as you determine what is safest for your own kids.

I live in CA too and the rule on the books is 80 pounds or 58 inches until kids are allowed to go belt-only. Seatbelts are designed with only adults in mind and carmakers figure the smallest adult is around 4 ft 10 inches. You can test it out yourself by putting your kids in the car with only the seat belt. If it crosses them above the shoulder (i.e. neck or chin) then they are not ready yet.

Your kids are too short for regular belts but too big for regular car seats. The solution? Booster seats. Both of my girls are in boosters (54 lbs & 43 lbs). Boosters are so much smaller than car seats so they're super easy to put in & out, travel with, clean, etc. Plus they're much cheaper than car seats.

Also, double check the car seats you have because many convert into boosters by simply removing all the harnesses. You won't get the benefits of the small booster, but you also won't have to spend any money. Good luck!!

Hello, my niece is about the same weight as your son and the same age (bday Feb 2003) she no longer uses a car seat. Her step dad is a Police Officer and apparently they checked it out. I belive the rule now is 6years old or 60 lbs. My daughter is 6 1/2 but she is petite so she uses the graco booster seat with a regular seat belt. We live in California as well. To be safe, maybe check with your local police station. It may be different from San Diego where we live. Hope that help! Oh how I miss the 5 point harness seatbelts. LOL!

I just googled 'car seat laws California" and it listed www.chp.ca.gov. I checked the site to be sure that it was current (copyright 2010). You can read the actual instructions for peace officers when and whom to cite for noncompliance. The law given for children to be in a regular seat with a lap/shoulder belt was 6 years old and 60 pounds. From what I read, the law in CA changed from 4&40 to 6&60 in 2005.

Regardless of the law, its always best to err on the side of caution. The best thing about a bottom only booster is that it raises your child up so the shoulder and lap belts rest in the proper positions. You might want to make sure your children know how to make the belts snug but not too tight.

Oh, and congratulations! Your children are growing up. Isn't that cool?

Check with your local DMV. Each state has it's own requirements on size and weight limits.

Legal is not necessarily the safest. Assuming you want what is safest...
Kids over 40lbs that have exceeded their carseats rated height and weight should be in booster seat. Older kids that are at least 4'9" (57 inches or taller) can go in the back seat without a "car seat" but needs to have a lap AND should seatbelt securing them.

Here in Tx it's a law that they stay in a car/booster seat until they are 8 yrs. old. It's a new law though. I had my DD out of her booster when she was 6 and the seatbelt fit her neck properly. I'd at least keep them in a booster until they are 65lbs.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/pdf/4_steps_for_kids.pdf

here are the ca laws. I'd just follow those. Sounds like one if not both can do booster seats.

Your local Fire Dept. or Police Dept. Should be able to help you with the exact guidelines.

Leave them in their 5 pt harnesses! If it's not broke, don't fix it :)

In New Zealand, it is safest, when your kids are as tall as a police squad car. 148cm Tall. You don't have to legally have them in carseats after 5 here, but realistically they should be in them a lot longer.......Apparently seatbelts are designed to fit the average adult male. So a average adult male varies from country to country. If you have a japanese car, the men are smaller, if you have european car.....

If you are concerned about putting them in a regular seatbelt, place them in a booster seat which uses the car's seatbelt. It adjusts for the height of your children so that the placement is correct. But if they are not complaining leave them be. Legally, I think they need to be 48 inches but I always like to do the safest thing.