We’ve all seen it before. I’m talking about the information in pamphlets and flyers regarding kids and booster seats. Most read like this: Kids should remain in booster seats until they are at least 8 years old, unless they are 4’9″ tall.
Excuse me? I don’t know where this age 8 came from but where I live we don’t see too many kids who are almost 5 feet tall at 8 years or younger. I’m sure they’re out there but seriously, most 2nd and 3rd Graders are NOT the size of small adults. So what gives?
Honestly, I have no idea why it’s so common to see age 8 listed as the “magic number” when kids can graduate to the adult seatbelt. Yes, I realize that it often says “at least 8″ but trust me when I say that it’s not the “at least” part that most parents remember. Most don’t even remember the 4’9″ part of the message. So where does that magic #8 come from? They sure aren’t referencing the CDC growth charts!
Maybe it’s a social change thing. We’re still getting a lot of parents used to the idea that their 6 and 7-year-olds need a booster. Perhaps we’re worried that we’ll turn them off completely and they’ll think we’re all nuts if we tell them the truth. And age 8 seems like a reasonable number for most parents to ditch the booster seat, right?
Wrong.
Most 8-year-old kids do not fit safely in the adult seatbelt of most vehicles. Sure, there are always exceptions, like some 3rd row seats which are clearly designed with smaller people in mind. But generally speaking, most kids do not actually pass the 5-Step Test until they are at least 57″ (4’9″ tall). For many kids even 57″ tall isn’t tall enough to get optimal belt fit.
Now, let’s have a look at those handy-dandy CDC growth charts. An 8-year-old boy who measures in the 95th percentile for both weight and height is 35kg (77 lbs) and 54″ tall. And an 8-year-old boy who measures in the 50th percentile for weight and height is 25kg (55 lbs) and 50″ tall. According to the growth charts – a boy who measures in the 95th percentile for height won’t hit 4’9″ (57″) until he is 9 years old. That kid in the 50th percentile won’t get there until he’s 11. And a kid in the 10th percentile for height will be 13 before they reach 4’9″.
So I’d like to know where they grow these huge 8-year-olds that everyone seems to be referencing? We know that we’re failing epically at keeping kids in boosters until they are really big enough to fit properly in the adult seatbelt but maybe our “helpful” literature and awareness campaigns are partially to blame? I think it’s time to ditch all references to 8-year-olds and move to something more realistic like 10-12.
Our best friends are both over 6 ft tall. Their daughter was 5’2″ by the time she was 8. Their son was 6′ by age 12. So the giant kids exist. Those kids are off the charts though. My kids are average and small. My poor son will be in a booster for the rest of his life but whatever keeps him safe. My daughter is taller than me and I am seriously considering an Incognito for myself. I am 5’2″ and seat belts never hit me right.
A 97th percentile 8 year old will hit 57 inches before their 9th birthday- so, yes, 8 is significant, as it’s the earliest reasonable time you’ll start to see kids starting to hit 57 inches. Not most, certainly, and of course many children are not ready to go without a booster at 57 inches. And some are ready prior.
The take away message we want to get out is that height doesn’t matter as much, it’s really about belt fit. And for most kids, they’ll fit the belt between 10-12 years old.
It’s also worth noting, from the trenches in the ‘real world’, we’re really talking about keeping 5 year olds in boosters. I consider it a victory if a parent keeps their child in a booster until they’re 8! Something like 97% of parents are taking their kid out, at least part time, before that.
My middle one is 90% + for height and weight. she is currently 72 lbs at just under 7 yrs old and at least a head taller than her classmates. she will be out of the booster at 8 if she continues to follow the percentile. her brother was allowed out of the booster at 11.5 yrs old when he was 90 lbs and 4’11”; he is 75% for height and 60% for weight. my last one is 50% for everything so she will probably be 11 before getting out of her seat; i just let her into a high back booster because she is 3 lbs away from the 40 lbs limit on the harnessed car seat she had. every kid is different and some grow quickly and others slowly.
I have one of those giant kids as my just turned 4 yr old is already 45 inches. He is almost getting to big for the 5 point harness on his seat according to the height limit. But I know he is way above average for his age. My twins girls are almost 9 and they are small for their age, at just 4’4 and 4’5. I just barely moved them out of the high back booster to a no-back booster a few months ago when we got a new minivan with a smaller 3rd row seat. They will continue to use that booster till they get to 4’9 or till age 12, which is what was recommended by their pediatrician. I think the recommendations should just be based on height and weight and not age. I am only 5 ft tall and would have been in a booster till age 12-13 if these were the guidelines back then. My girls have complained a few times because a few of their friends no longer use a booster seat, but I told them too bad, I would rather be safe than sorry!
Well, I was thrilled beyond all belief that my pediatrician told my 8 yo at her 8 yo well check that she needed ‘a few more inches’ before she could be out of a booster (she’s 53″ by their measure, 90th percentile for girls). Unfortunately everyone who goes to the same doctor’s office did not get the same information sheet and encouragement, most of them are out of boosters at 8. Because the law says so. If they are going to have a law at all, why can’t it be a good one? Five step test, nationwide, period.
My son falls into the 8 year olds who were too tall for booster seats. He was 4’9″ well before he reached his 8th birthday and I had to take him out of the booster seat since his shoulders when seated were hitting the headrests. At 12 1/2 yrs, he is now 5’8″.
My daughter (nearly 9 yrs) uses a backless booster. When my friend and her almost 12 year old is with me he loves to use it “because it is more comfy and he can see out the window”. Obviously my daughter is not with us in these occasions. This child doesn’t even wear a seatbelt in his car.
Love this.
I hate that age 8 gets put on booster laws. My son is freshly 8 & is one of the rare tall ones. But even though he’s taller than ave, he’s still just shy of 4’9″ at a short 4’8″ (hee hee) & I’m rather confident he will be 4’9″ by the time he starts 3rd grade. But, if he still fails any of the 5-step test in any vehicle he rides in he will remain in a booster.
My niece is taller than my 90%+ 8 year old daughter, and my niece will not be 8 until May. My daughter is about 54 inches tall. She almost needs to go boosterless because with the booster, she is quite close to her ears being at the top of the headrest in the highest position in our 05 sienna. My niece could still use a bit of a boost because she is very short torsoed for her height. My now 11 year old was out of her booster at about 8.5 for the same reason my now 8 year old will be. Sigh. I grow those giant kids 😉
I was chatting with parents in a playground the other day and they mentioned how they have friends who don’t meet the 4’9″ rule, so it’s a good thing the cut off is 8 (when I mentioned my daughter is so short she probably will be in boosters until 12 if she continues to follow family growth patterns.) Now, how do you explain that if their friend really is that short their friend, at 30-40-50-whatever should use a booster? The incognito would be fine in my opinion for some of these shorter adults to use, but how many adults do you think would use them?
I think parents want to think 8 as a magic number because a lot of parents increase freedoms for kids at 8, and even more would balk at anything older than 10 since they’re now a preteen/tween/whatever since they take up 2 digits. That’s not me. But I remember a conversation with family when I mentioned our local law keeping kids in car seats until 4, her daughter had been in a booster since not quite 2.
There are many variables. My mom was dutifully putting my daughter in the booster in ger truck. They got to my driveway and I freaked. She had been riding the whole time with her neck bent to avoid slamming the roof. I took her out and she had a perfect fit without the booster. She actually might have been 7 at the time because I remember telling my mom that in this case I felt is wasn’t safe to obey the law.
SafetyBeltSafe’s data shows that about one in ten eight year olds fits the belt in the car they were tested in- that does take small vehicle seats into account. (Same data shows that some kids fit some cars as early as 4’6”. That’s only six inches taller than my five year old.)
So it happens but vehicle seating design plays a part, and it’s rare. By ten years old that number is up to just over five in ten.
I have one of those big kids. He just turned 7 and shockingly still fits in his high back booster. He is off the charts for both height and weight, but will be in his car seat as long as he can.
Great post. I have known VERY few 8 year old kids that are tall enough to sit without a booster.