New CA Car Seat Laws- a Little Vent

You can pick up a backless booster for $20. She doesn't need a harnessed seat or anything at this point. 4 foot 9 has been the recommendation for several years now... (I can remember billboard adds and commercials with BigBird from quite some time ago) as that is the minimum height for which seatbelts are designed. If she isn't 4'9'' (and what 7 year old is?) she'll be a lot safer back on a booster seat anyway, whether the law had changed or not.

HTH
T.

Really, boosters are so cheap - are you really so strapped for cash that you can't afford $20 - $40? Be thankful that you state is putting safety first with a good, solid, common sense law.

Backless boosters are about 15-20 bucks.
Is your child's safety worth that?
In PA, we have "booster til 8" as well.

As for "how you get her back into a booster"? You tell her it's the law. At 7, she can understand that, right?

I'm stunned at how many responders have their little ones out of boosters so young! My oldest just got rid of her booster - she's 10!!

Car seatbelts are designed with only adults in mind and they figure the shortest adult is around 4' 10". Any shorter and the belt does not cross the chest in the right place, causing a decapitation hazard in the event of an accident. Hard to imagine anything worse than that!

You can get boosters for $20 at WalMart or Target. Is your child's head worth $20 to you? Of course it is.

Best of luck to you and your precious daughter. Stay safe!

First of all, the most important thing is that your kids are in the safest seating possible for their age and size. My very tall and big almost seven year old is in the britax frontier, harnessed to 85lbs then a high back booster to 120. My four year old is still in the britax marathon to 65lbs, then will be able to go into the frontier because my oldest will be able to use a regular high back booster by that point or none. After a fatality accident, I don't take chances, no matter how much it costs. And their life is worth way more than anything you'll pay for a proper booster seat.

Tell your seven year old it's the law and it's safest for her, and she can maybe just use one of the cooler high back or no back boosters, get a britax frontier for the little one, will last as long as she needs one..$250 over 4 years isn't that bad! Check albeebaby.com or buy new in box on eBay. Most four year olds are not mature enough to sit properly or not mess with the seatbelt in a regular booster. Five point harness for as long as possible is safest! Safety ratings and reviews prove not all carseats are the same regardless of brands, it's not true that any old carseat at Walmart will be as good as another. The nationwide recommendation (may be different from laws) is 8 years old AND 4'9"! It's about bone density and makeup after a certain age, as well as how tall one must be to fit in the seat and belt properly.

Eta: grammarocks, I've been in three accidents and each time the carseat check was the first one they issued, separate from the car and a settlement. They know you need one right away!

We have not taken our kids out of them yet. My oldest will be 11 in Feb, my second just turned 8 and my third is only 2 1/2 so she's obviously in a carseat.
We never paid any attention to the arbitratuy age and weight of the laws and pay attention to if the seat belt properly fits or not.
A typical seat belt is not designed to properly restrain anyone under 4ft 9 in. The rules for a proper fitting seatbelt is the person needs to be able to sit in the seat with their back up against the back of the seat with their bottom all the way back. Their legs must bend at the knee at the edge of the seat and their feet must be flat on the floor. The belt should rest across the chest, not at their neck or face. The belt should rest on their hips and not across their stomach.
Until each of my children meet ALL of those criteria they will safely stay in their boosters. My oldest has just reached 4'9" but is still a little uncomfortable with where the belt comes on his neck so he's still in the booster until he is comfortable where it sits. It is not safe or fitting properly if it is coming across his neck.
I wish the laws would stop picking arbitraty ages and weights. They have nothing at all to do with whether a child safely fits in the seat belt or not. I truly wish they would pass the law using the language of specific heights etc to make it completely clear and the safest possible.
All 3 of mine are in Sunshine Radians. High backs, attach to the seat with LATCH, side impact protection and the practical reason of all 3 of them fit in a row which we needed when my third was born. I don't like the boosters that are little more than putting a couple phone books under your child but that's just me. But if money is tight $20 is not too much to spend to make sure the seat belt safely fits your child.
As to handle how to get your daughter back in the booster. In our house safety is non-negotiable. They either comply or we don't go anywhere. At 7 years old she is old enough to understand that laws have changed and that the seat belt needs to fit her correctly in order to keep her safe from harm. An ill fitting seat belt can cause harm in and of itself.
This isn't something to be wishy washy about or complain about! I sympathise with you for having just gotten rid of your good seats. But you did a good thing and you now need to go out and get something new for your child's safety and comfort.

GrandmaRocks, If you were in an accident, did you know that you can add it to the insurance claim? I was reimbursed for my child's carseat after a fender bender. You should look into it.

As for the new CA laws, I understand that you had seats and didn't think you needed them so you did a GOOD and KIND thing by donating them. So breathe, and look around, and see what will fit your family's ongoing needs. Plus side is you have a younger child who can still benefit from the seat down the road. Sorry that the timing isn't great for you. I'd keep an eye on sales and maybe consider the Babies R Us trade in event.

You get her back into a booster by explaining the law has changed. All her friends should be in the same boat and if they are not, their parents are breaking the law. I would also get her opinion on a new seat.

Do you belong to a church or are there local Thrift shops in the area? often, people donate their booster chairs, I have seen lots of them. Additionally, I don't mind the law.. think about it this way.. if while your child is in the car and his/her head isn't above the car window, and you are side swiped by a SUV or truck, the point of impact would be right about where the child's head is who isn't in a booster seat.. therefore, the more you can raise them up, the better off they will be... my son is in one and while he would prefer otherwise, to me, his safety comes first...

my best to you and yours

It might be annoying but it for her safety. I'm sure you can find a way to get her a good booster seat.

My oldest son is 5 and will be in his Britax Frontier 85 until he out grows it. We go by the TX law of 57" (the law states 8 years or 57") as my boys more than likely wont be 57" before the age of 8. LOL

The law that goes into effect on January 1, 2012 states:
Children *MUST* be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) IN THE BACK SEAT OF A VEHICLE until they are at least 8 YEARS OLD or 4' 9" in height. Just as the current law is currently 6 years or 60 lbs it's either/or and tall children will be able to stop using them sooner.

My little guy recently went into a booster and I sympathize with you as his first one was in the van and in an accident (he was not in the van at the time.) Both Triple A and the officer at the scene said it could no longer be used as it was in an accident, so a week before Christmas I was forking over money for another new one, ouch :( The backless boosters run as low as $20 for your daughter...wish I could have gotten by with one of those bur he's too young.

(And, yes, I know I can be reimbursed through the insurance, but that won't come for awhile according to the insurance rep, they're working the settlement out on the van for now as it was a total loss. Thank you for those who've brought it to my attention : )

As far as getting your daughter into one again tell her it's the law and neither of you has a choice.

I know it's annoying, but the laws are in place for a reason, and it's great that you have a state that cares so much about it's kids.

You tell your kid you will get in big trouble with the police if she doesn't sit in the booster seat.

You buy a new booster seat - it doesn't have to be a $300 Britax version to be effective or safe. Graco booster seats are $30-ish or so. Or, you find one on craigslist that is very gently used.

I am irritated with this as well. I am in NV and she is 6 and still required to sit in a booster. She is a big 6, so she has big legs and big feet that don't don't the floor, they just hang. Her back is starting to hurt her and I think sitting in the car is playing a role.

The proper way to sit is to have your feet resting on the floor. I am thinking I am going to roll up a blanket to make foot rest. Luckily she is tall and although not close yet, she will be out of this thing sooner than most...unless they move it again by the time she gets there.

At this age, she would probably be fine in one of the backless boosters... they aren't very expensive (about $20, maybe?), and raise her up a bit....

I know it is frustrating, but these laws are designed to keep the kids safe. Just tell her that it is required by law, and you have no choice.

The thing that is frustrating is that so many people car-pool for school or activities...... having car boosters for every child you transport can get problematic.

backless boosters are only 20 bucks if that. my 4 year old rides in both booster and regular carseat. when we move to washington any other children we have will have to be rear facing till 2 years old! dont by a britax booster! get one from walmart. they all do the same thing. only difference is the name brand!

Double-check your laws. Often what's reported is only a peice of the law. (Just googled it and on the CHP website, they state the law is the same as Texas's below...)

For example, a lot of people in Texas think that a child cannot sit in a car without a booster seat until the child is 8 years old.

That's just not true. A child must be in a booster in Texas until the child is 8 years old OR until he/she is 4'9".

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_inform...
TRC § 545.412. CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEATSYSTEMS; OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates a passenger vehicle, transports a child who is ******younger than eight years of age, unless the child is taller than four feet, nine inches*****, and does not keep the child secured during the operation of the vehicle in a child passenger safety seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system.

I just told my friend about this last night and she was furious! Her daughter is already 7.5 and has been out of a booster since her 6th birthday (she was already over 60 lbs then). Now, at 7.5 she is 80 lbs and 4'8" tall... but legally needs to go back into a booster? She also has a son who is 6.5 and has been weighing himself daily, hoping to be 60 lbs so he could get out, and now he has to stay in longer. Like you, she she has a younger child who needs to move into the booster and now is going to have to buy another seat. She's not pleased.

Anyway, I think keeping your child safe is most important, even if it means buying another seat. Maybe a friend has one you can borrow for a few months.

You will just have to explain to the seven year old that it is the law, and this law was designed to keep her more safe in the car...end of story and no arguments. Maybe you can find one on Craigslist or maybe mention to the manager that if something changes and she no longer needs both boosters that you would like them back because of the new law.