Hi everyone, my almost 6yo has outgrown his reversible booster seat which was supposed to last him till he's 8.
When I bought the seat 3 years ago, it was one of the tallest I could fine (Babylove EzyCombo)….
I think the law states he has to be in a booster seat until he's 7, so I'm not going to spend a fortune on a booster seat that will only get used for a year.
Can anyone recommend me a booster seat with a tall back that won't cost me too much?
Thanks in advance :o)
One of my kids was out of a booster seat at 6.25 years due to her height. Qld legislation for child car seat usage states that they must be used until 7 years of age or xx Cms tall (can't remember exact height).
NSW law is written for idiots who don't have the capability of measuring their kids. Size is irrelevant, age is the only determining factor.
That is incorrect. Age is not the only determining factor. The ages provided are the minimum permissible by law. These are uniform Australia-wide.
The current standards are entirely height-based, and all seats have height markers.
Overall height is fairly irrelevant. Seated height is what needs to be taken into consideration - from the top of the base of the seat to the highest point on the child's shoulders.
We're in NSW. He's 134cm with a tall torso. So by law, he needs to stay in a booster seat, but I need one that has a tall back to support his head in a crash.
as a kid, we had 6 kids in the back with no seat belts, datsun 120y …. those were the times….
That style is legal in NSW for the rule up to 7yro. They are about $40 at Kmart. My youngest just turned 7 and was out of it like a shot.
Yeah the ones without a back are still legal to use, but they're not allowed to be sold anymore.
To be honest, I don't know why….
Have you tried the Infasecure Rally?
Isn't that a reversible booster seat from 6 months to 8 years? I looked at that one, before I bought the Babylove EzyCombo. The Rally was lower than the EzyCombo.
I had a look at it today again and yeah, it's not going to be suitable for my son :o(
Convertible, not reversible. The 0-4 seats are reversible.
A quick look at the Transport for NSW website… the rules are a little confusing.
http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/children/…
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat.
But it also says: 145cm or taller - suggested minimum height to use adult lab-sash seat belt.
What they mean by that last bit (although it's not mentioned on that page) is 145cm minimum height without a booster seat.
Yeah, I get that…but what if the child is under 7 years old and taller than 145cm?
It would depend on their seated height. Some kids are long in the body, while others are all legs. If their torso still fits in a seat, they have to stay there.
I found this. The Infasecure Rally I mentioned is not on it, but exit markers are @ 51cm. It is sold under different names at different stores such as ToysRUs
https://childrestraintfitting.com/booster-seat-height-marker…
The whole idea of the booster seat is to make the seatbelt the right height for a shorter person. Once your child is big enough they can use the standard seating position.
Alternatively we used a booster that doesn't have a back for our sons when it was difficult fitting all the boosters/baby seats in the car. I think they are still legal, but just hard to buy.
They're legal to be used, but not legal to be sold anymore :o(
My son is currently 134cm tall. He has a tall torso and short legs. So yes, it goes by seated height. Most reversible boosters come with height indicators for the shoulders.
At a certain height they need to use a lapsash belt (unless they exceed the maximum weight for the 5 point harness) and then when they reach the highest shoulder marker, it's suggested they stop using the booster seat.
So this one that I have now, is too small. We need a taller one so that his head doesn't fly backwards and his necks breaks during a crash.
Try him in a Safe n Sound Encore 10 - it's currently the highest seat out there. Its exit-use height is around 53-55cms seated height. They're not a budget seat, but hopefully by the time he outgrows it he will be big enough to not need a booster at all.
If it's the tallest on the market, than it's my only choice I guess. I'll have to see if there's any online for a decent price. I can always sell it after he outgrows it I guess.
Thanks for all your advice and suggestions. I really appreciate it :o)
Thanks everyone. I took my son into Target and Big W to try their booster seats again today. His shoulders were over the top markers on all of them.
I am going to have a quick chat with the local police tomorrow and make sure I am not going to get in trouble for letting my 6yo sit in the back seat without a booster.
There's a special baby shop in town, I haven't looked there yet as I know they're quite expensive. I might see if they do have a brand and model that's high enough and if so, I'll google to see if I can get it cheaper online.
Go and have a look at the rules on the rms website. The rms links to a website that has a very clear image showing that 145cm is the recommended minimum height for a standard lap sash seatbelt, no booster. Local police will only use their interpretation of the rules, which may not be correct, besides are you likely to be pulled over and questioned if your child looks big enough?
I was quite happy once my six year old got too big, saved mucking around with the boosters.
No, they're increasing RBT here on the local roads and my son is with me wherever I go. Have been tested 3 times over the last month.
He's not 145cm yet, but has a tall torso with short little legs. That's where the problem lies unfortunately.
Just wished they still sold those seats without a back, would be the best solution for those with exceptional tall kids.
Ah well, only in a perfect world :o)
In that case, how far off 7 is he. Get him to practice saying he's 7 when a police man asks. Kinda like when you get your kid to say he's younger to get a free entry or a discount somewhere. There is only a real small possibility that they are going to want to prove it.
What about a second hand booster without a back? ebay/Gumtree?
What's your child's height and what state are you in?