Do you know your state's safety belt use/child restraint laws?
I am ashamed to admit that I didn't know what the rules were in Massachusetts and I figured we were probably breaking the law when it came to the boyz and their boosters seats and sure enough, we are. But I do now!
From the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, this is a summary of each state's laws.
Furthermore, in Massachusetts, a new law went into effect a little over a year ago (July 10, 2008) requiring children ages 5-7 or under 4' 9" to be in a booster seat.
My Eldest son is 8. But he's not yet 57 inches tall. He is, indeed, still in a booster seat. Not just a seatbelt.
Except I also have a 5 year old and a 4 year old. Both less than 40 pounds. Both of them are also currently using booster seats with regular seatbelts.
This, I realize now, is simply not safe. Convenient, yes, for they can buckle and unbuckle themselves. But not responsible parenting on my part.
*sigh* I'm off to the attic to reintroduce not one, but two, high-back boosters with 5-pt harnesses.
How are your children restrained in your car? Duct tape doesn't count!
My almost 3 yr old is still in his car seat. My 5 year old is in one of those car/booster convertible things. But we are still using it like a car seat (5 point harness and all). I was just thinking about digging out the instructions to see how to use it with the seat belt instead. But, honestly, my kids are such lightweights they could probably stay in car seats until middle school.
Posted by: Dorene | December 02, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Both gals are in the big Britax convertible car seats. Charlotte's almost 4 and 41 inches tall but she weighs 31 lbs. So for as long as I can (probably through kindergarten/age 6) she'll stay in the big seat.
Posted by: Erin | December 02, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Our boys are older and are adult sized, so it's seatbelts. We used the full on car seat for a long time. Thank you, thoughtful post.
Posted by: Martha at A Sense of Humor is Essential | December 02, 2009 at 10:05 PM
My older two girls the 8 year old who's only 46 pounds and the 6 year old who is 60 pounds are in the no back booster seats (we just made this change from high back booster seats). The 5 year old (41 pounds is in a high back booster seat. CT state law is 7 years AND 60 pounds. So even though my middle daughter will meet the requirements in six months, I'm going to keep them all in booster seats for as long as I can. Despite their pleas of "my friends don't sit in booster seats AND can sit in the front of their cars".
Posted by: Margaret | December 03, 2009 at 07:52 PM