Why are backless boosters bad?

[hottmama]

Okay, so I have my 4.5 yr. old in a Britax Husky in my car, but my mom wants to buy a booster seat for her car. His other grandma has a high-back booster that he rides in occasionally (he has a Cosco Apex in his dad's car), so I have let him ride in a booster before. He's pretty big, and understands that he has to sit still in a booster (and I have drilled this into everyone else, too!)
So we went to the store to look at boosters and my mom wonders why the backless boosters are less safe than the high-back boosters. And I don't know the answer-- help me out!
If the only safe boosters are $50+ I think we'll just keep switching out his Husky, it's just so hard to get it back in my car (which has to have locking clips, and it has to go next to my toddler's RFing carseat).

[bandgeek]

They aren't "bad" really, just not as good as a booster with a back. I think the general recommendation is that your child be over 40 lbs, fit well without needing the belt guide found on backed booster to hold the seat belt in the right place, and there HAS to be head rests behind your child's head. It's also important that the child be old enough that they aren't falling asleep and slumping over. Personally, I wouldn't put a 4.5 year old in a low-back booster. They are usually still pretty small (even the big 4 year olds) and squirm around more than an older child. And they aren't getting any sort of side impact protection and that's bad because their bones are still so immature. A 6 year old...maybe, but not a 4 year old.

ETA: Please don't switch seats out if you don't have to. Everytime you switch it, you run the risk of not installing it properly. And no matter how good you are at installing the seat, it's still easy to mess up. It really is a lot better just to buy the extra seat. You can get a backed booster for less than $50. It may not be a turbobooster, but it would still be better than a backless one.

[sarahmae1]

The backless boosters don't provide any side-impact protection.

[hottmama]

He is over 40 lbs. and wouldn't fall asleep in it (it'd be for short daytime trips, and he doesn't nap). He's not so much big as tall and skinny-- just over 40 lbs., but in size 6 slim pants. I thought only the Britax had side impact protection. Also, he'd be in the middle of the back seat, and there are headrests.
Just trying to decide whether a highback booster or a backless booster would be best. Any recommendations for either, under $50? I saw Graco and Cosco at the store (Wal-Mart, the only thing they have in my mom's town-- I live in a city and have lots of stores available, though).

[gaialice]

Originally Posted by bandgeek

and there HAS to be head rests behind your child's head.

Sorry to hijack. Just wanted to find out if it is OK that the head rests on the back seat or if there has to be a proper head rest. It is not about the 4 yo who is still in her seat with back rest but about the 6 yo who was recently transferred to a no-back rest booster for short trips. TIA

[cutekid]

Okay, I know that wal-mart has a high back booster for about $20. Its rather floppy compared to the Graco Turbo Booster, but has seat belt guides and a back.
Its not listed online either, but I know they have because my mother bought one for my DS when he was 12 months old.

Denise

[Rebecca]

I've been reading a lot about this lately. From what I understand, the boosters with the back are mainly for proper chest belt positioning and for a head rest if the back seat doesn't have one. Though I bought the Britax Monarchs this weekend (because they seemed comfortable and my insurance company paid for them), I think that most any are ok as long as the seatbelt is positioned correctly. There was one I was really wary of. I think the brand name was Regalo. It's a 5 point carseat convertible to a lap positioning backed booster but it must have weighed 40 lbs. My concern would be in a crash the child gets squished between the belt and the momentum of 40 lbs of carseat pushing into their backs (since the boosters are not attached to the car's seat).

I'm not sure really how much side impact protection you have in a booster of any sort. They're rather flimsy considering the force of a car crash.

[AmyG]

Originally Posted by hottmama

Also, he'd be in the middle of the back seat, and there are headrests.

Unless the middle seat has a seatbelt with a shoulder strap (some do), that's not an appropriate place for a booster. It absolutely has to have a shoulder strap--not just a lap belt.

[joensally]

Ditto the must have a shoulder strap in the middle seat.

The other advantage of the backed boosters is that the head flap things seem to keep the kids from moving side to side - I guess it's a peripheral reminder to sit straight up. My 8 year old is in a backless and I'd prefer to have her back in a backed seat, while my 4.5 year old (I'm in Canada and he's outgrown the largest 5 pt available her) is in a backed booster. He does well in it overall.

OP, if you're in the states you can find plenty of 5pts for a child your son's size. If you can budget it, it is a much, much safer option.

[ThreeBeans]

I would absolutely not put a 4 year old in a backless booster. Truthfully, I would be hesitant to put a 4 year old in any kind of booster at all, but IMO backless boosters are only for the over 8 crowd.

There is no side impact protection. There is no energy absorption in a crash. There is a higher rate of misuse due to not having the guide for the shoulder belt.

[hottmama]

Right, it does have a normal seatbelt, not just a lap belt. And a headrest.

He's ridden in my mom's car maybe 3 times in his life, so I guess we'll just keep moving his Husky whenever he needs to ride in her car, if ever. She wanted to be able to take him to the store and such when we're visiting, but that's not necessary if it's really risky for him to ride in a backless booster.

[TiredX2]

Are there and references to backed boosters being safer?

I only ask because a couple of years ago I was told that ASSuming the child fit the seat belt properly and would sit up, a backless booster could actually be *safer* because it would not have additional force on the child (when they are thrown forward in an accident the backed booster would push on them). Because of rates of accidents (rear/forward versus side) it was more important to us to be safe in a non-side impact collision.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by TiredX2

Are there and references to backed boosters being safer?

I only ask because a couple of years ago I was told that ASSuming the child fit the seat belt properly and would sit up, a backless booster could actually be *safer* because it would not have additional force on the child (when they are thrown forward in an accident the backed booster would push on them). Because of rates of accidents (rear/forward versus side) it was more important to us to be safe in a non-side impact collision.

Low back boosters perform better in frontal crashes because of the the lower excusion rate, but they don't provide any side impact protection. Here's the research from CHOP.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-htb090905.php

[hottmama]

Does anyone have any experience with this high-back booster? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5030625
It's only $20 which is in my mom's budget.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by hottmama

Right, it does have a normal seatbelt, not just a lap belt. And a headrest.

He's ridden in my mom's car maybe 3 times in his life, so I guess we'll just keep moving his Husky whenever he needs to ride in her car, if ever. She wanted to be able to take him to the store and such when we're visiting, but that's not necessary if it's really risky for him to ride in a backless booster.

Could you just have her take your car?

In any event, in a year or so he'll be taller and stronger and then maybe the seat belt will fit a backless and it won't be so much of an issue.

[cutekid]

Originally Posted by hottmama

Does anyone have any experience with this high-back booster? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5030625
It's only $20 which is in my mom's budget.

That's the booster that my mom bought for my DS. Its a good back up booster, my Step DS used that booster on occasion because at 8 years old, he wouldn't ride correctly in the backless booster. I would say its a good back up booster, if used poperly I don't see why it wouldn't be as good as the rest on the market.

Denise

[s_kristina]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

IMO backless boosters are only for the over 8 crowd.

If they still fit in a high back booster that is. I'm 99.99% sure my dd will be too tall for a high back booster well before she is 8. Her head is now over the top of her turbo booster at it's highest setting and she is 5 years 4 months. I'm well aware of the fact that my kids are odd in that they are so big for their age, but they aren't the only ones out there.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by s_kristina

If they still fit in a high back booster that is. I'm 99.99% sure my dd will be too tall for a high back booster well before she is 8. Her head is now over the top of her turbo booster at it's highest setting and she is 5 years 4 months. I'm well aware of the fact that my kids are odd in that they are so big for their age, but they aren't the only ones out there.

The Graco Turbo-booster has a very low top shoulder accomdation. Other seats will fit her better. The Britax Parkway, which you can find for 80 dollars, will give her multiple more inches of torso growth before she outgrows it

[CarrieMF]

We have a backless booster that has the shoulder positioner attached to it.

[Azuluna]

Mandy,
Check the Louisville craigslist - there is a posting for a high back booster in the baby & kids section for $20. Of course you'd have to ask about wrecks, etc. It is the kind my 5 yo DD rides in when she's with my mom.