Carseat vs. Booster: When To Switch and (more importantly) Why

Sometimes I think we ask ourselves the wrong questions as parents. Because we're convinced that following all the finite rules handed down to us will guarantee our children's safety, we miss the bigger picture and end up only doing only the bare minimum to protect our little ones.

The Carseat vs. Booster topic is a prime example. Did you know that each state has specific laws regulating how old, how tall and how heavy your kiddo should be before making the switch? Just because the seat you're purchasing claims that it is made for 30-100 lbs does not mean that you can safely switch your hefty 2 1/2 yr. old as soon as he hits the big 3-0. There are many other factors that go into the decision to graduate - some of them are even specific to your individual child!

Most states have a firm policy that children should not leave the protection of a carseat until they are at least 4 years old and 40 lbs. It can be easy to overlook those words "at least", but they're extremely important. That means that 4 years/40 lbs. is the earliest you should consider down-grading to the booster.

Some important issues to consider when thinking about making the switch:

• How wiggly is your child? Will they stay properly restrained by a basic lap/shoulder belt?
• How often are you driving for long periods? Longer rides mean more opportunities for children to get antsy and shift out of proper seat belt placement.
• Does you child often fall asleep in the car? Again, this can make the carseat a safer restraint option.
• How tall is your child as opposed to your lapbelt? No matter how heavy they are, the shoulder belt can be very dangerous if it's sitting too high on shorties (like mine!).
  

As anxious as you or your kiddo might be to ditch the cumbersome carseat, is it really worth the risks? I will NEVER forget the tears-and-mascara-streaked face of a mother interviewed on Oprah a few years back. She ignored safety recommendations for her child's carseat and lost her daughter as a result. When Oprah asked her why she had decided to come on the show, she looked straight at the camera (straight at me, is what it felt like) and stated that she never wanted another mother to feel the devastation she felt because of a carseat safety issue. She urged every parent watching to ALWAYS err on the side of caution when it comes to securing your little ones in the car.

Here are a few other safety tips when it comes to carseats AND boosters:

- Tall children over 4 can actually be unsafe in harness seats if they are sitting too high for the belts and headrest. Read the specifics of your carseat to know for sure.

- MAKE SURE to replace your carseat with a booster when the time does come to switch. A recent report states that 94% of parents go straight to shoulder/lap belt only when they ditch the carseat, with dangerous reprocussions. Average and even modestly tall children do not sit high enough on their own to properly position the shoulder belt until they are at least 8 yr. old (which is also the law in most states, by the way). The booster seats adds those extra needed inches to make sure the seatbelt can do it's job when your kiddo needs protection.

- All carseats have a safety expiration date! If you're using a hand-me-down or passing seats down from older children you will want to research your brand and model once a year to make sure that your seat is still up to safety codes.

- It only takes one compromise to put your child in danger, so be sure to hand off the carseat to friends/family anytime they drive your kiddo in their car. Even better, provide frequent drivers (like grandma) with their own carseats so you don't have to re-install each time. (If financially possible, that is).

- Remember that this has nothing to do with how safe of a driver you are. There are pleanty of dangerous drivers on the road who can hit you, even when parked.

I want to end by stressing how important it is that your kiddos are properly protected when they ride! I've tried to word this article very strongly because I, like the woman on Oprah, NEVER want to another mother to experience the heartbreak of losing a child because of compromised carseat safety.

PLEASE - do whatever it takes to make sure that your little ones are safe in the car. And when you do switch from carseat to booster, don't just meet the minimums - make sure that it is the safest decision for your precious kiddos!