Question: What is a Low-Back Booster Seat?
Answer: A low-back booster seat is a simple seat belt positioning device for children who are not yet tall enough or heavy enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone. Low-back boosters consist of a platform-type seat with short armrests or built-in guides for the lap portion of the vehicle seat belt. The height of the platform makes the child sit taller to better fit the seat belt, and the armrests or guides properly position the lap portion of the belt low on the child's hips so that it does not ride up onto the stomach.
There is little functional difference between different brands or models of low-back booster seats. There may be differences in the seat padding, whether or not it has cupholders, or the width and depth of the seat, but all low-back booster seats function the same way.
Booster seats must be used with a lap/shoulder seat belt. Do not use booster seats with lap-only seat belts.
If your vehicle has head restraints (often called headrests) and your child does not need extra help positioning the shoulder portion of the seat belt, a low-back booster is sufficient for safety. If you have a high-back booster seat that converts to low-back, you will need to use the low-back portion when the tops of your child's ears are above the top of the booster shell.
Note: Most low-back booster seats come with a strap and clip that can be used to pull the shoulder portion of the seat belt down to keep it off the child's neck and face. If your child is short enough that the extra positioning of the shoulder belt is necessary, consider buying a high-back booster seat with wide shoulder belt guides, or move your child back into a harnessed car seat with a high weight limit. The strap and clip positioners do work in a pinch, but I find that the other options are more convenient for everyday use.
There is little functional difference between different brands or models of low-back booster seats. There may be differences in the seat padding, whether or not it has cupholders, or the width and depth of the seat, but all low-back booster seats function the same way.
Booster seats must be used with a lap/shoulder seat belt. Do not use booster seats with lap-only seat belts.
If your vehicle has head restraints (often called headrests) and your child does not need extra help positioning the shoulder portion of the seat belt, a low-back booster is sufficient for safety. If you have a high-back booster seat that converts to low-back, you will need to use the low-back portion when the tops of your child's ears are above the top of the booster shell.
Note: Most low-back booster seats come with a strap and clip that can be used to pull the shoulder portion of the seat belt down to keep it off the child's neck and face. If your child is short enough that the extra positioning of the shoulder belt is necessary, consider buying a high-back booster seat with wide shoulder belt guides, or move your child back into a harnessed car seat with a high weight limit. The strap and clip positioners do work in a pinch, but I find that the other options are more convenient for everyday use.
