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BOOSTER SEAT TIPS

by: Boost America/Ford Motor Company

GET SEATED

Infants should ride in a rear-facing seat as long as possible but at least until they are BOTH one year of age AND weigh at least 20 pounds. After that, they should ride facing forward in a toddler seat until they weigh 40 pounds (about age 4 or when their ears reach the top of the toddler seat) and then “graduate” to a belt-positioning booster (BPB).

GET A BOOST

Children who have outgrown their convertible/toddler seats (usually around 40 pounds and 4 years old) belong in a BPB. BPBs help ensure that adult lap-shoulder belts fit properly. They also give children a more comfortable seating position, help them see out the window, and make it more fun to go for a ride. A comfortable child is more likely to stay buckled up.

GET BELTED

BPBs require BOTH lap AND shoulder belts to provide protection. Never use a booster with a lap belt alone unless permitted by the booster seat manufacturer. Remember, the back seat is the safest place for children of every age. If the back seat has lap belts only, shoulder belts can be installed in some vehicles.

Other options would include using a tether anchored vest, or using a BPB in the front seat with lap and shoulder belts if your vehicle does not have a passenger air bag or if the air bag is turned off. Or, if a booster seat is not immediately available, then, as a last resort, sit the child in the back seat without a booster and buckle the lap belt low and snug across the hips — because a belted child, even in a lap belt, is not as likely to be ejected.

The safest place for a child 40 to 80 pounds is in the back seat with a BPB because booster seats help position a child so that adult safety belts fit properly.

GET HELP

Read BOTH your booster instructions AND your vehicle owner’s manual before using the booster seat. For more information on choosing the right booster seat and using it properly, check these websites:

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