IIHS Reports Half of Children's Booster Seats Fall Short of Ensuring Proper fit with Safety Belts

October 24, 2011

A report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says that not all booster seats, which are recommended for children who have outgrown forward-facing child seats and designed to raise kids up so adult-sized safety belts fit properly, are doing that well.

Although booster seats have improved in the three years they have been tested, the IIHS is concerned that booster seats requiring parents to check the fit still outnumber the good ones.  Of the 83 seats tested, 41 got a "check fit" rating, and 31 were rated "best bets" or "good bets" by the IIHS.  Six booster seats were so bad the IIHS recommended parents avoid them.

Children aged 4-8 in booster seats are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash than those using only seat belts.  However, if seat belts aren't positioned or "fit" properly, children can hit parts of the vehicle in a crash and even be injured by the belts, which can slice into internal organs. 

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