Five Point Harness Booster Seat Age

For infants and toddlers up to 40 pounds the safest way to travel is using a five point harness 1.

Five point harness booster seat age.

That s right there aren t any. Not too long ago there were very few 5 point harnessed seats that could hold a child who weighs over 40 pounds. But many kids are nearing the weight limit by around age 5. First let s look at the studies that have compared properly fitting seat belts meaning in a booster for kids age 5 and up and 5 point harnesses in similar crash circumstances.

In california children must ride in an appropriate booster or safety seat in the back of the car until they are six years old or weigh at least 60 pounds. This is usually not until at least age five. The great news is that for most kids there is no rush whatsoever to move into a booster seat. Today there is a vast array of seats to choose from that can harness the average 5 6 year old some of those options cost as little as 50.

You can secure your child based on his or her age using the 5 point harness which is designed for children who are at least two years old or you could use your vehicle s seat belt which is good for children who are at least four years old. Children under the age of 8 and less than 57 inches tall must be secured in a forward facing child restraint equipped with a 5 point harness until the child outgrows the top height or top weight recommendations of the child restraint or in a booster seat. The american academy of pediatrics recommends that kids use a car seat until they reach the maximum height or weight for that five point harness. A forward facing car seat with a five point harness system is the safest option so keep him there if possible.

Children are better restrained and consequently safer when secured by a five point harness in a forward facing car seat than when they re using a seat belt in a booster seat. Three year olds are not ready to ride in a booster seat even if they fit within the manufacturer s height and weight guidelines. Notice that as long as possible is the crux of their argument here and that most kids can safely fit in car seats well beyond 4 years because the fact is that most car seat manufacturers make 5 point harness seats that fit kids up to 7 or 8 years old.