Choosing Booster Seats and Convertible Booster Seats

A convertible booster seat is suitable for babies from eight kgms up to young children weighing 26 kgms (about four years old).

Some new designs also allow for the use of an installed harness right up to 26 kilograms. This provides for safer transport of older children.

When choosing a Booster seat or a convertible Booster Seat, you need to consider the laws in your state, in November 2009 Victoria introduced new Child Car seat laws which clarify how old, the weight and height of a child when selecting a Car seat.  These new laws will be introduced into other states, but why wait to protect you child, we all want our children to travel safely without harm or injury, these laws help clarify when you child should move to a Protecta harnes or when they can use a standard seat belt.

Racv Have released their new CREP (Child Restraint Evaluation Program ) Report on Baby Car seats, Booster seats and Convertible Bootster Seats . RACV have looked at host of the Child carseats a Booster seats on the market, unfortunately they have not included the new meridian AHR Tilt and adjust Carseat or  the new Safe n Sound Hi liner booster seat with the Safeguard Clip.

Takes these new additions when considering purchasing wither a Child Car seat or a Booster seat for your child. When Selecting a Convertible Booster seat it is very hard to go past the Safe n Sound MaxiRider Convertible Booster Seat.

Booster seats

Booster seats are suitable for children between 14 and 26 kilograms or children who have outgrown a child restraint seat. However, a child seat is the preferred restraint for children up to 18 kilograms.

Before you put your child in a booster seat, it’s important that they understand not to touch the seatbelt without your permission.

Booster seats are used to correctly position a child for effective fitting of the adult lap/sash seatbelt. Your child can use a booster seat until their eyes (in the normal sitting position) are level with the top of the booster seat. The height of the booster seat is important in providing support for your child’s head.

Booster seats come in two types: those that have a back and those that have a base only. If you want to use the booster as a portable seat, one without a back may be suitable.  However, a design incorporating a back provides extra safety for your child, particularly in the event of a side collision.

See the wide range of booster seats available from the Glenhuntly BabyCarriages  online shop.

How to use a booster seat

Booster seats are held in place by the child’s weight and the car’s seatbelt. They should only be fitted to a forward facing seat. If used with a lap belt only, you must also use a child harness to hold your child’s head and shoulders back.

The sash part of the seatbelt must cross your child’s shoulder and must not come in to contact with their neck. Most booster seat manufacturers provide a sash guide to stop this from happening.