Seatbelt Booster Seats

Your child is likely to be in a booster seat for at least as long, if not longer, than they will be in a harnessed seat, so making the right choice is vital.

A booster seat is designed to position the adult-sized seat belt in the correct locations over a child’s body.  Boosters work by positioning the lap portion of the vehicle seat belt low on the child’s hips, contacting both the hips and thighs.  Boosters also align the shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt on the child’s shoulder, ideally placing the seat belt flat and snug across the collarbone.  These are the areas which have strong bones and can withstand more force than other, softer areas of a child’s body.

New Zealand law states that a child must use a child restraint until they are 7 years old, but this is not a magic age at which a child is tall enough to safely fit a vehicle seat belt.  Vehicle belts are designed to fit a person safely when they are 148cm tall, or taller. So a child should continue to use a booster seat until they reach this height, regardless of their age. This means your child may still use a booster seat at 10-12 years old. This is safest and what we consider best practice.

If a child who is not tall enough sits on a vehicle seat without a booster, the belt will cross their neck and abdomen.  These areas are soft with no bone structure so injuries caused by a seat belt can be severe and the effects long-lasting.

There are two types of booster seats available in New Zealand.  A booster seat with a full back, and a half booster, which is just the seat.

Full back boosters are the safer option to start out in as they do a better job positioning the seat belt on smaller children than half boosters and also offer torso and head protection.

A seatbelt used on its own can contribute to a child’s injuries rather than prevent them so keep your child in a booster seat until the adult-sized seat belt fits them safely.  If in doubt, remember the rhyme – it’s safer to wait until 148! (cm).

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if you’re unsure whether you need a booster or would like the fit of yours checked, book in with us to get it sorted out.