Belt-positioning booster seats lack consistent fit: study
Although the fit of booster seats has improved for 4- to 8-year-olds, most belt-positioning boosters still do not offer a consistently good fit in all vehicles, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
According to a press release, researchers analyzed 72 boosters and assigned the best ones top ratings for having correctly positioned belts for average booster-age kids in most vehicles. The worst performers were not recommended. A good booster routes the lap belt across a child's upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at mid-shoulder. Additional findings show:
- 21 boosters received "best bet" model ratings, compared with last year when nine seats out of 60 received the rating.
- 7 boosters earned "good bet" model ratings.
- 8 boosters were not recommended.
- 36 boosters fell in the middle for not consistently fitting belts well on most kids in most vehicles.
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