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Once your child is taller than 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches), it may be time to move to a regular seat belt. If a child does not yet fit the seat belt as described below, use a booster seat. A booster seat boosts a child up so that the seat belt fits across the strongest bones and away from the soft belly. Children who use a seat belt before they are ready are at risk for injuries to the head, neck, spinal cord, and internal organs.

Your child is safest in the back seat until they are 13 years old.

Is your child ready for a seat belt alone?

Until your child can meet these 5 steps, keep using a booster seat on every ride:

1. Is your child at least 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall?
2. When your child is sitting all the way back, do their knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat?
3. Does the lap belt stay low across the hips?
4. Does the shoulder belt cross the chest and stay between the neck and shoulder?
5. Can your child sit like this for the whole trip without slouching?

If you answered “Yes” to all 5 of these questions, your child may be ready for a seat belt alone.

Check your child’s position and the fit of the seat belt in every vehicle. A child may pass all 5 steps to use a seat belt in one car, but still need to use a booster seat in another vehicle.

How your child’s seat belt should fit

 

• Your child is safest sitting in the back seat of the vehicle.
• Make sure your child has support behind the head to the tops of the ears.
• Make sure the shoulder belt crosses the chest and stays between your child’s neck and shoulder.
• The lap belt should fit low and snug across your child’s hips.
• Your child’s knees should bend comfortably over the edge of the vehicle seat when sitting all the way back.