A booster seat can be used with a lap sash seatbelt and may or may not have a top tether strap. Refer to the restraint manufacturer's instructions. Children aged 7 years to under 16 years must travel in either a forward facing child restraint, a booster seat or an adult seatbelt.
Boosters require a vehicle seat with both a lap and shoulder seat belt to work correctly. Some booster seats have an internal harness, like this.
Car seats that are tightly installed can do a good job even without tethers. But, in a severe crash, a tether limits the child's motion (A, B). This lessens the chance of serious head and neck injuries. A booster seat does not need a tether, since the lap-shoulder belt restrains the child.
LATCH is used for both rear- and forward-facing child safety seats. Most belt-positioning booster seats do not need to be attached to the vehicle so they do not come equipped with LATCH. Any car made after September 2002 must come with LATCH in at least two seating positions.
Is a backless booster seat illegal in Australia? Backless booster seats do not meet the Australian Safety Standards and are not legal to use in Australia. All child car seats to be used in Australia must comply with the Australian Standards AS/NZS 1754.
Place the booster seat forward-facing in the back seat. It's best to put it in the middle of the back seat. Make sure the lap belt is flat, low, and tight across your child's hips and the shoulder belt is flat and snug across your child's shoulder, not touching their neck and face.
Children who are 7 years and over may sit in a standard seat with an adult seatbelt, or an approved booster seat secured with an adult lap-sash seatbelt. They may also remain in an approved child restraint that is forward-facing with a built-in harness that is properly fastened and adjusted.
If the booster seat comes with a tether strap, it must be anchored to the child restraint anchorage point. However, some booster seats meet the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 1754) but don't come with a tether strap.
All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age.
Currently booster cushions fall under the Group 2/3 car seat category, meaning they can be used from around 4-years-old. The new extension recommends children use backless boosters once they are 125cm or taller, which is roughly about 7-years-old.
The average Australian child will not outgrow a forward-facing restraint until they are eight years old, and some children may be even older. To be safest in a crash, your child needs to be in a booster seat until they are at least 145 cm tall and can pass the five-step safety test (see below).
Children aged 7 years and over who are too small to use a seatbelt should use an approved booster seat or an anchored safety harness. The suggested minimum height for using a seatbelt is 145cm or taller.
Legally, children aged 4 and up are allowed to travel in a booster seat, but they are safest if they remain in their existing forward-facing restraint until their shoulders go past the maximum height marker.
The bottom line. Other things equal, the safest place is in the center seat in the back row. However, any back seat placement in a properly fitted and installed car seat will significantly lower the risk of injury in a crash. And, the real priority is to just get a good safe installation.
Weigh less than 40 lbs: May remain in five-point harness car seat. Weigh more than 80 lbs, or are taller than 4 feet, 9 inches: May use vehicle safety belt without booster.
Here are some things that will help you determine whether your child is ready for a backless booster: Age: 5 to 6 years old. Weight: at least 40 pounds. Height: 38 to 43 inches.
Most children transition from their convertible car seat to a high-back booster seat at about four or five years old. Children usually switch from a high-back booster to a backless booster at around age six. Age isn't the only way to determine whether your child is ready for a backless booster seat.
Children aged between 7-16 years
Children aged between 7 and 16 are required to use a booster seat or adult seat belt when travelling in a vehicle.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is best for children to ride in a car seat with a five-point harness for as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age. If your child outgrows his seat before reaching 4 years of age, consider using a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights.