Eager to be done with boosters? Think again.

[Joolsplus2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYee6yH6tI4&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yUl4dCK1GA&feature=related

These videos show a 10 year old that really does fit in the seatbelt (legs bending at the front of the seat properly, belt low on the hips, shoulderbelt on shoulder), and yet the dummy still submarines dangerously down into the lapbelt. Some European countries recommend boosters till age 12, I wonder if it has to do with puberty and skeletal development, that allows for the hip bones to be stronger and wider and help keep the lapbelt low in a crash? At any rate, my 10 yo fits quite well in one of our cars without a booster, but I think the lapbelt is so much lower and safer looking when he IS in a booster, that I still make him ride in one.

[niccig]

Holy gee wow wow.
Did you see how much the bigger dummy went UNDER the seatbelt and how much the shoulder strap was tight around it's neck - the belt went into the crack of the duumy's head and neck.

That's it...DH's jokes that I'll have DS in a booster until college, yep I certainly will - well, until he's older than 10 and hits puberty. They better start making bigger boosters.

[wencit]

Oh. My. Gosh.

Those videos seriously made me queasy to my stomach. Makes me wanna cry every time I think of one of those dummies being my DS.

[jesseandgrace]

Thanks for posting this. I was JUST talking to my seven year old about this yesterday, and I told him he will absolutely be in a booster until about 10. He is on the small side, so it might be twelve. I told him I don't care what his friends are doing, it is much safer and that it is my job to protect him. He was the only one in a booster where we lived before, but here it seems like most of his school friends still are. My cousin has a dd the same age as my son and said to me "wow, I could never get my dd to still ride in a booster." Um, yes you can if you refuse to drive them anywhere unless they are in it. He is still in a highbacked booster, but I will probably let him go to the backless booster at 8, and my dd who will be five in June is staying in her radian for a long time to come!