For more information on rear-facing seats, forward-facing seats and booster seats, please check out our blogs “Car Seats: Rear-Facing,” “Car Seats: Forward-Facing” and “Car Seats: Booster Seat.”
Children should remain in a booster seat for as long as possible until a seat belt fits them properly. So how do you know for sure your child is ready for just a seat belt?
Children are generally ready to use a seatbelt when:
To properly fit a seat belt, the lap belt should lie snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest, not across the neck or face.
Seat belts may fit differently depending on the vehicle model and where the child sits in the vehicle. The safest practice is to keep children in the back seat until they turn 15.
A seatbelt restrains a grown child or adult in the event of a crash to help prevent injury. The seat belt is placed over the strongest parts of the body.
For more information, visit the NHTSA’s car seat and booster seat recommendations or review the Colorado car seat and booster seat FAQs.
