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So you've finally reached the point where your child has outgrown her forward-facing
car seat.
But what to do now? Well, in Wisconsin, once your child is 4 years old and weighs at least
40 pounds, she can transition into a simple -- but very
important -- booster seat. And that's the way she'll ride until she's eight years old;
weighs at least 80 pounds, or is taller than 4'9". However, your child
may remain in a front-facing car seat up to the manufacturer's height and weight limits
for that seat.
Ann and Lily are here now. "Hi guys!"
They're going to show us how it's done.
Place the booster seat in the back seat of the car.
When your child sits on the seat, make sure her back is right up against the backrest,
and that she is sitting comfortably. If necessary, adjust the
backrest.
The booster we're demonstrating has a backrest, but many of them don't. If yours is one of
the latter, just make sure your child's back is pressed firmly
against the back of your vehicle's seat.
Tilt the arm rests up so the path is clear for the safety belt.
Then, pull the belt across so the lap belt is low on her hips under the armrest, and
the shoulder belt is across her chest.
Make sure the seat belt crosses your child's shoulder about half way between her neck and
shoulder, or it won't hold her in place if something were to
happen.
To be on the safe side, double check that the belt is securely latched.
Simple, right? Once you've got the booster seat down, there's just one more stage to
look forward to. And though you may think you know everything you
need to know about seat belts, there are still a few helpful hints to keep your child safe
as she grows.
How do you know when your child no longer needs a booster and can "graduate" to the
back seat?
If she can comfortably sit in the seat with her legs bent at the knees over the edge of
the seat and the shoulder harness and lap belt fit properly, she's
ready. Then she can simply buckle up. But remember, Wisconsin law allows parents to
have their children remain in the booster for longer if they
choose. Up to the manufacturer's height and weight limits for that seat.
No matter what, your child should remain in the back seat until she is at least 12 years
old. And the safest way for her to buckle up is with a lap belt and
a shoulder harness.
"Now, Lauren and Abby are here today and you guys have a little bit of experience with
this, right?"
"Yes, we do."
'"OK, you're gonna show us how it's done?"
"Sure, we'd love to."
Make sure your child has the belt securely latched.
The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest - NOT across the neck
or face. The lap belt should lie snugly across the upper
thighs - NOT the stomach. And just make sure your child's back is pressed firmly against
the back of your vehicle's seat.
And there you have it. Nothing but clear roads ahead.
Making sure your child is safely secured in his or her car seat is an important way we
can all work together to achieve zero deaths on Wisconsin
roadways.
Zero In Wisconsin: A vision we can all live with.
Thanks for watching. Drive safely!
For more information on Wisconsin Child Safety Seat laws, visit ZeroInWisconsin.gov/ChildSafetySeats.
For best practices and additional safety recommendations, visit HealthyChildren.org