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Car Booster Seat: When Do You Use It and Other Questions?A car booster seat is a necessity now, especially with most states increasing the size and age that a youngster must by law be seated in one. Booster seats are now required in the U.S. and many states are passing laws stating that children must be in a booster until at least the age of 8 and a minimum height of 4 foot 9 inches. If you’re using a rear facing infant seat and not a convertible seat, a booster will probably be your next seat. The safest forward facing seat is one that allows your child to be secured by a 5 point harness. 
The 5 Point HarnessThe 5 point harness will give your youngster the safest possible ride. It will insure that they are strapped in completely and will give them the proper fit as opposed to a seatbelt. Seatbelts don’t fit small children correctly and could inflict serious injury because of the poor fit. They can result in chest and abdominal injuries in the event of a crash. When Is It Time for a Booster and the Britax Frontier 85So when’s the right time to put your child into a booster seat? That depends on the seat. Some infant seats are designed to fit children up to 40 pounds depending on their height. There are many front facing and booster seats available but I love the Britax Frontier 85. This seat is designed for little ones from 25 pounds up to 120 pounds. Many car seat manufacturers talk about a seat being the last car seat but this could truly be your last car seat. The 85 in Frontier 85 refers to the seat being designed for youngsters up to the weight of 85 pounds to be secured by the 5 point harness instead of the car’s seat belt. The vehicle seat belt would then be used until your child reaches the weight of 120 pounds. This is a great seat for children who are growing and putting on weight but don’t fit into a seatbelt correctly. This is usually the case with most kids. 
When Can a Child No Longer Use a Booster Seat?The next question has to do with when a child no longer needs any type of car booster seat at all. Booster seats are necessary until: • A youngster’s knees comfortably bend over the seat’s edge. • The upper part of the belt doesn’t cross a child’s neck or arms, but the shoulder as the belt is meant to do. • A youngster can sit with his or her back to the sit and not slouch. • The lower part of the belt doesn’t cross a child’s abdominal area. Booster seats are required by law and help keep your kids safe. I’ve done a detailed review on the Britax Frontier 85 here or for more information and owner reviews, click here.
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