Around the world, road traffic injuries continue to be a leading cause of death for children, and the United States is no exception. While most parents and caregivers are aware of child passenger safety requirements for infants and younger children, children who have outgrown their harness-style seats are usually too small to use regular seat belts alone safely. Fortunately, more parents and caregivers are giving their older children a shot at a safe, healthy path to adulthood by buckling them up in booster seats.
Leading child safety organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), note that despite laws on the books in all fifty states, many children are moved to seat belts before they are ready. Booster seats protect growing bodies by adequately positioning the child and the seat belt in a way that redirects the forces from a crash to the most substantial parts of the body.
According to Wisconsin Child Passenger Safety, children who outgrow their harness-style, forward-facing safety seat should use a booster until they are 8 years old or weigh 80 pounds or they are at least 4 feet 9 inches (57 inches) tall. Wisconsin Passenger Safety also states that children should ride in a booster seat until they are tall enough to sit on the vehicle seat without slouching and the seat belt fits snugly across the top of the thighs and across the shoulders. Click here for a Wisconsin Car Seat Guide 2025!
No matter their age, every child needs to be properly secured for every trip on the road. Find the right seat for your child by visiting Car seat safety | Children’s Wisconsin or clicking here for a CPS Guide (link to other attachment).
Parents and caregivers can contact Tomah Health’s certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) for questions and seat safety checks. You can make a free appointment by calling 608-377-8400 to receive car seat recommendations, help with installation and more!
“Prevent Child Injury.” Prevent Child Injury, June 2018, www.preventchildinjury.org/toolkits/booster-seats. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.