A dummy representing an average-size 6 year-old is used for booster seat evaluations. Review BEST BETs here: https://t.co/wOG6IMsZNV pic.twitter.com/KTnGoifJWN
— IIHS (@IIHS_autosafety) September 11, 2017
Once your child outgrows his or her front-facing car seat, chances are, they will still need a booster seat to make the vehicle's safety belt system fit correctly.
Why is a booster seat important?
If the lap belt runs across a child's stomach instead of their lap, they can receive severe injuries to internal organs in a crash. Likewise, a shoulder belt that cuts across the neck can literally cut into the neck during a crash, and will allow the upper body to move in dangerous ways a well-fitted belt should prevent.
Before we go any further, we would like to make it clear that a poorly-fitted seat belt is still better than no seat belt. Buckling up saves lives. When a seat belt fits correctly, it is even more effective at preventing injury.
Booster seats are designed to raise a child's height so the car's safety belts fit them, keeping them protected in an accident. Not all booster seats are the same, however, and a few don't create a good belt fit for most children. Check out the IIHS's booster seat recommendations to help get your child buckled up safely and securely.
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