GainesvilleMoms.com

I was just watching Cartoon Network with the kiddos and a commercial came on for car seat safety. I am super strict about car seats, boosters, seat belts, and no one under 13 in the front. But I cannot tell you how may times I see these rules broken everyday! The rules say that a child should be in a booster until they are either 8 or 4ft 9in. I am attaching the flyer they have on their site.

Did you know that dispite these tips, the state of Florida does not require a booster seat after the age of 3?? You can legally sit your 3 year old, no matter what they weigh, in the regular seatbelt.

Caryn - I had no idea! I just moved here from CA where they have really strict seatbelt laws. I think the law states there that the kids have to be 6 and/or 60 pounds. All my kids are in boosters, even my oldest who is almost 7. I don't plan on taking him out of it for a long time.

I was just about to write a blog post about this because we're going this weekend to buy the baby a convertible car seat. He's outgrown his infant carrier, even though he hasn't hit that 1-year mark yet. And actual I'm really interested in the 2 and 30 movement (leaving your child rear-facing until age 2 and 30 pounds instead of 1 year and 20 pounds). Anything for safety.

I actually looked it up after the commercial because so many of my friends give me grief because I still use a booster with Caeli (she is 7..will be 8 at the end of Oct.) But the reason I do is because of where the seat belts sits on her when she isn't using one. It is in the completely wrong place and if I were to get in an accident, it would go across her neck instead of her shoulder. I don't get why they are so bothered by it...I mean it doesn't take any extra time getting in the car or anything....and I would much rather be safe than sorry...

i use a highback booster for my 5yo (just took the 5pt harness out a few months ago but i am considering putting them back) and a regular booster for my almost 7yo. i agree bishop! keep them in a booster for as long as possible. hubby is actually the one who gives me greif about Ryan and Lilly's carseats. you dont know how many times he says "oh, they can do without" and i say "then they cant go". there have been a couple of times where for room reasons i reluctantly let my son go without a booster. the seatbelt in our car hits him in the right spot, so it wasnt really an issue. im glad you posted this bishop...we all need a healthy reminder from time to time!

A couple of months ago, my 3yo had an accident in her seat so I took it out to clean the cover. She's in a 5pt harness still even though she's almost as big as her 5yo sister. Well it took me a week or so to put her seat back in so I just put her in the high back booster and the 5yo in the seat. And everytime I buckled them in, I was not comfortable. So they're back in their seats. Both of their seats are the high backed kind that the harness can be taken out of and can be used up to 80 pounds. So we'll use them forever

Here's a link to the Governors Highway Safety Association website page on all the states laws. I thought it was 3, but I was mistaken, it's 4. I would suggest that if you are traveling out of state, just use the seat and save yourself the grief of a ticket if you get stopped Esp since most out of state trips take you through GA and you can't take them out of a booster till their 6 there!
http://www.statehighwaysafety.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html

And I know it's probably safer (in regards to the 2 and 30 movement) but how comfortable would that be? When my girls were 1 they were in the seats they have now and their legs hung off the ends. The poor things would be all scrunched up in the seat if they had to go another year.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: carmic1975,