5 point car seat or booster using seatbelt?

[butterflylover]

My daughter is 45 lbs and about 46 inches tall. She will be 7 in 4 months. She currently rides in a Britax Boulevard but the seat is about to reach its expiration date. I'd like to put her in a booster and I checked her posture in one with a seat belt and the belt does not hit her neck at all but her feet don't touch the floor.

Do you think she would be safe in a booster with a seatbelt? Or would it be better to get a 5 point harness that changes into a 5 point booster? I can't afford much and it has to last until she no longer needs a seat at all. Though per state guidelines she could just ride on the seat with no booster. I don't agree with that. What do ya'll think?

[leighi123]

Most 7yr olds are fine in a booster.  

Here are the guidelines to decide if kids are ready to sit in a booster seat instead of a 5pt harness:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=38893

Feet touching the floor is for the "5 step test" (sitting in the seatbelt with no carseat/booster), and is not needed for a booster.

[Thandiwe]

I think if I were you, I would review the pro's/con's of a harness carseat versus a high-back booster like the Graco high-back turbo booster.  She is still small enough to fit a harnessed carseat, though you might spend a good deal getting one, and you said money is an issue.  Given her size and her age - if it were me - I would feel comfortable putting her in a high-back booster seat like the turbo booster.  You can find it for less than $50.  I think I just saw it online for $40??  That's just me, you'll need to evaluate your own pro's/con's.  Obviously a harness is safer, but given her older age, and the fact that you're looking for lower cost, I would go with a high-back.  Just my own two cents!

[leighi123]

Originally Posted by Thandiwe 

I think if I were you, I would review the pro's/con's of a harness carseat versus a high-back booster like the Graco high-back turbo booster.  She is still small enough to fit a harnessed carseat, though you might spend a good deal getting one, and you said money is an issue.  Given her size and her age - if it were me - I would feel comfortable putting her in a high-back booster seat like the turbo booster.  You can find it for less than $50.  I think I just saw it online for $40??  That's just me, you'll need to evaluate your own pro's/con's.  Obviously a harness is safer, but given her older age, and the fact that you're looking for lower cost, I would go with a high-back.  Just my own two cents!

There is no evidence that a 5pt harness is safer than a booster for a child who fits properly in a booster, meets all of the booster size requirments, and can sit properly for each and every ride.   A 2,3,4 yr old in a booster that is the same size?  Yeah a harness is safer, but thats because of maturity.   A 6-7yr old that meets all of the requirments and sits properly?  Totally safe in a booster.  
 

[Thandiwe]

Originally Posted by leighi123 

There is no evidence that a 5pt harness is safer than a booster for a child who fits properly in a booster, meets all of the booster size requirments, and can sit properly for each and every ride.   A 2,3,4 yr old in a booster that is the same size?  Yeah a harness is safer, but thats because of maturity.   A 6-7yr old that meets all of the requirments and sits properly?  Totally safe in a booster.  
 

I can see we differ in opinion.  Because a 5-point allows for a lesser amount of head excursion, the likelihood of neck/spinal injuries are reduced.  Even race car drivers use seatbelts with more points of contact.  The greater the amounts of contact, the better the weight is distributed. 

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by Thandiwe 

I can see we differ in opinion.  Because a 5-point allows for a lesser amount of head excursion, the likelihood of neck/spinal injuries are reduced.  Even race car drivers use seatbelts with more points of contact.  The greater the amounts of contact, the better the weight is distributed. 

Actually, that is incorrect.  Comparing race cars to car seats is apples to oranges.  Race car drivers harnesses are attached to the car frame.  Not strapped in with another belt that is attached to the car frame.  And, race car drivers have a HANS devices that helps prevent too strong of a neck load.  Children in 5 point harnesses do not have those.  (Dave Earnhart was one of the famous Nascar drivers that died from head injuries that a HANS device may have prevented).

There are 2 sides to this issue.  The Swedes argue the side that harnessing ffing increases neck loads because the shoulders are held back while the head and neck go flying forward in a 5 point harness.  They believe that a booster is safer because it allows the torso to move forward a bit more with the head.  The other side is that a 5 point harness is better because it holds ones body in position better.  There are no studies to back this up either way.  We know that they are both safe options for older children who are mature enough to sit in a booster properly.  IMO, a 5 point harness with a HANS device would probably be safer, but that is not an option.  So, IMO, one should rf as long as possible to avoid the issue of ffing harnessing, hopefully being able to ride rfing until mature enough for a booster.  In an ideal world, anyways.