How long are children in car seats?

MEJ2008 · January 2010

What is the requirement, and if you will go longer- how much longer?

JARbaby · January 2010

Booster is required until 8 here.

BecauseICan · January 2010

In MI they have to be in a carseat or booster until they are 8 years old or 4'9". If they are 8, but over the height requirement, they are allowed to use just the vehicle restraint. So a long time here.

lizzie53084 · January 2010

Age 8 is still typical, but not required in some states. Florida doesn't require them after age 5.

Amrice78 · January 2010

It's 8 AND 80 pounds here. No I will not be going longer.

ajanes · January 2010

In our state, they must be harnessed until 40 lbs or 4 years, and in a booster until age 8 or 4'9" or 80 lbs. DSS is 6.5 and still in a harness in my car. We are moving him to a high back booster but he is very small for his age so I was concerned about submarining (when children slide under the seat belt in a crash because they are not big enough).

ETA: Our DC will be in at least a low back booster until they can pass the 5 step test. This shows correct seat belt placement.

This is a direct quote from car-seat.org about the aspects of the 5-step test.

Children are not ready to be in a regular lap/shoulder seatbelt until:

They are tall enough so that their legs bend at the knees at the edge of the seat; and
They are mature enough to remain seated with their backs flat against the back of the seat and not slouch; and
The lap belt sits high on the thighs or low on the hips (NOT on their tummy!); and
The shoulder belt crosses the shoulder and chest (NOT on their arms or neck!); and

Each passenger must have their own lap and shoulder belt! Never allow children to share a seatbelt.

Some organizations will also give limits like 80 or 100 pounds, 4'9" in height or 8 years old. These are rough guidelines, not absolute limits. The criteria above are most important

Toosdai · January 2010

Here in Maryland, your kid has to be in some type of a child restraint until they are 8 OR 4'9" tall OR weigh more than 65 lbs.

MattsWifey<3 · January 2010

My son will be 9 next month and he's still in a booster. It's the law.

Amrice78 · January 2010

Toosdai:
Here in Maryland, your kid has to be in a booster until they are 8 OR 4'9" tall OR weigh more than 65 lbs.

see this makes much more sense to me than our stupid law. DS will most likely be taller than I at 8 and still in a seat.

emiliemadison · January 2010

In MN, children under age 8 and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches are required to be fastened in a child safety seat that meets federal safety standards. To me, these laws, regardless of the actual details, are meant to be minimum standards for safety. I plan on keeping my kids in a 5 pt harness as long as possible (probably until age 5-6) and then in a booster until around age 10 and/or until they meet the guidelines that ajanes posted.

The seatbelt alone was designed to fit an adult, so the safest thing for a child is to stay in a seat or booster until they are big enough and mature enough (both!) to use it properly. Age is less important than height and maturity IMO.