The 2010 IIHS Booster Evaluation: Check the Fit of Your Child's Booster Seat

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a good booster routes the lap belt across the child’s upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at mid-shoulder. Proper safety belt positioning is shown in the IIHS photo above, in which the crash test dummy represents a six-year-old of average size.

Of 72 boosters recently evaluated by IIHS researchers, 21 of them (29%) earned the “BEST BET” rating (as opposed to only 15% earning the same rating last year). Seven boosters earned a “GOOD BET” rating, and eight boosters did a poor job of fitting belts and were not recommended by the Institute at all.

The remaining 36 boosters that were evaluated fell into the “in-between” group, based on their inconsistently fitting belts well on most children in most cars, minivans, and SUVs.

In a Sept. 8 IIHS press release, Institute senior vice president for research Anne McCartt said, "Unlike the top performers, consumers can't assume boosters in the in-between group will work in every family vehicle. Some may be fine, but parents still need to try them out to see if the lap and shoulder belts fit their kids correctly." The lap belt should not ride up on the child’s tummy, and the shoulder belt should not fall off the shoulder or rub against the child’s neck. Scroll down to the end of the press release to view the 2010 IIHS Booster Evaluation Results.

Do you have concerns about your child’s booster seat? September 25, 2010 is NHTSA’s National Seat Check Saturday, and certified child passenger safety technicians will be providing advice and offering hands-on seat inspections of child seats nationwide, free of charge. Find a Child Safety Seat Inspection location in your area.