Booster Seat: Backless or Full Back for 6 Year Old Son

It depends where the seat belt hits him when he sits in the booster. If it lies across his chest, he doesn't need the back. If it hits across his neck, then get one with a back because it will adjust the seatbelt to the right place.

A proper fitting booster with a back is safer ... you can google crash test differences sorry I don't have the link anymore. A properly fitting and properly installed 5 point harness with a high up weight limit (now available 80-100) is best. I moved my older kids to boosters with backs once they hit 60 lbs but I had planned to keep them in the 5 point harnesses as long as possible my DH disagreed with me.

My daughter was tall when she made the switch. The back rest was annoying to her and she fit in the belt properly.

In my car she used a backless booster. In her dad's car she used a back because the seat was indented in more and the seat belt didn't fit as well.

In Oklahoma a 6 year old doesn't have to sit in a car seat at all. So your child is plenty old enough to sit in a backless booster.

http://www.dmv.org/ok-oklahoma/safety-laws.php#Child-Safe...

Here is what your own state's DMV states about car seats. If you didn't have shoulder belts your child wouldn't need a car seat. Since you have shoulder belts he can be in a booster to make the shoulder belt cross his chest instead of his neck or face.

http://www.dmv.org/il-illinois/safety-laws.php#-Child-Car...

Child Car Seat
In Illinois, the Child Passenger Protection Act states:

A child 8 years old and younger must be secured in a child safety seat. However, if the vehicle is equipped with lap belts only in the back seat, a child weighing more than 40 lbs. may be transported in the back seat wearing a lap belt only.

Drivers and all passengers must be secured in either a seat belt or child safety seat.

Children under 18 years old must wear seat belts when they are riding in vehicles driven by people under 18 years old.

I have read everything adnaseum. I have a very tall, thin, son who is 4yrs 11mos. My son only rides in a backed seat with a five point harness. Their bodies can not handle a high impact car accident the way that an adults body can. A five point harness holds them in if that type of situation should occur.
Regardless of what the law in your state says you have to do what is safest for your child. Your child is still growing and their bodies are fragile.
Think of a worse case scenerio accident and what would keep your child safest. (My sons father agrees with me)

I agree with the others, it really depends on there the shoulder belt hits him while in the backless booster. However, I will keep my kids in a booster with the back as long as possible, as I like the head protection it has. I do NOT see any reason why your 6 year old cannot be in a booster with a back (and just because they legally don't have to be does not make it safe). I would buy one that can have the back taken off and when he becomes too big or uncomfortable with the back, then remove it.

BTW, my 9 year old (who is 48" and 50 lbs, small, I know) is still in a booster with a back. And my 6 year old (43" and 45 pounds) is still in a 5pt harness (graco nautilus). I want them in the safest car seat as long as possible.

Depends where the seatbelt hits him. I prefer the back because it keeps the belt from sliding up to their neck.

Our child is 4. I intend to leave him in a high back booster (at least in the primary vehicle) for as long as possible ....

http://thecarseatlady.com/booster-seats/

I kept my kids in high backs as long as I could because it provides head protection if there is a side impact, and it gives them a place to rest their heads on long trips. Damn, I'd sit in a high back if I could. We got ones where the high back was removable and could then be used just as a booster.

My son is eight and is still in a high back booster, even though he can legally ride without anything. He's tall enough that the seatbelt fits without any booster, however I'm going to keep him in it until he passes the height limit, just for extra safety.

I would say that you are best to put him in a high back booster still. I have a 6 year old and we just got her the cleck oobr and it's pricey but I really like how it has recline option. We put her in the car at bed time often times when we are visiting family 2 hours away. When she sleeps, her head was always forward and it bothers us. So, this gives her a good sleeping option. Anyways, we will probably change her to a backless one when she's 8.

My 7 year old sits in a high back booster. We only recently took him out of a five point harness. I think the high back offers a little more support and protection. It's also nice on those rare occasions when he falls asleep.

I would say it's about 50/50 with his friends - some with backs, some without.

High back, because they offer protection and support for the side of the head that the car headrest does not.

Better safe than sorry. I'd go with the high back booster. Britax makes one that goes up to 120lbs and 63"--we use it and have been very happy with it. It's called the Parkway SGL. You can get it with or without LATCH--we have one of each.

Ran across a blog, Seat Belt Lady, that might address your question.http://thecarseatlady.com/booster-seats It had a lot of good information about all kinds of car seat/booster seat/seat belt transition questions and issues. Good luck

If your car has the high backs already you can use either. I think I would let your son choose what is more comfortable for him. I think the sides on the highback would be nice for leaning against, but he may not like it. The ones with the removable back would be nice though so that if he doesn't want to use the high back but you ever need to use it in a car that doesn't have the high backs you can reattach it for riding in that car. I am thinking grandparents, aunt and uncle, etc.

Diono Radian is a great seat, high back and up to 100 Lbs. It's the best seat you can find, check it out.

Also, just an FYI the links to dmv.org - that's not an actual dmv site but a commercial site. Be sure to check your local government DMV for accurate information.

We went from a Marathon to a Frontier for my 6 yr old. Click Tight is *amazing* and we are very happy with the seat. My DD likes the cup holders, feels secure, and the seat can very easily be adjusted to a taller or shorter child, or from a harness to a high back booster. I have not yet tried it as a backless booster, but it can do that, too. I balked a little at the price at first, but I'm really happy we went with the Pioneer. I think that in many places you can legally put him in a backless (many of my DD's classmates are in backless boosters) but she is just not comfortable in one. We have a Bubble Bum for taxis and similar and she doesn't like it much. I also personally wanted to keep her harnessed and I like the side impact protection.