34 35
When to Put Your Child
in a Booster Seat
Booster seats raise the child up and help to position the
vehicle lap and shoulder belt correctly. When the child is
properly restrained in a booster seat, their risk of injury in
all types of crashes is reduced, as the lap and shoulder belt
provides excellent restraint of both the upper and lower
torso.
It is important for the child to sit properly within the
vehicle seat belts. When the vehicle seat belt is buckled,
the lap belt should be low on the hips, just touching the
thighs, and the shoulder belt should lie across the middle of
the shoulder. If the child leans out or moves the belt behind
the back or places it under the arm, it will not provide the
intended restraint.
How is a booster seat used?
Using a booster seat is very similar to buckling yourself into
the vehicle:
• Read the instruction manuals for both the booster
seat and the vehicle before you start.
• Put the booster in the back seat in a location with
a lap and shoulder belt. Never use a booster
with only a lap belt, as this could cause serious
injuries.
• After the child is in the booster, pull the lap and shoulder
belt across him/her and buckle it.
• Check that the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the
shoulder and that the lap belt is low on the hips, just
touching the thighs.
How can you tell if your child is ready to transition
to a booster seat?
You should consider using a booster seat if the following
conditions apply:
• The child is mature enough to sit in the booster seat and
not put the belts under his/her arm or behind their back.
• The child is approaching the weight or height limit of the
child restraint they are currently using.
• If you have a vehicle that does not have a tether
anchorage but has lap/shoulder belts available in the
back seat, a booster seat may provide better protection
than an internal harness seat without the tether.
The shoulder belt
MUST cross midway
between child’s
shoulder and neck.
The shoulder belt MUST
pass through shoulder belt
guide and under the
headrest.
The lap belt is
stretched low and
snug across the
child’s hips and
routed under the
lap belt guides.
Booster With Backrest