|
Properly fitted and adjusted adult seatbelt
 |
If a child is over seven years and still fits in a booster seat, they should continue using it until they are tall enough for the adult seatbelt to fit properly. If the child outgrows their current booster seat and is still unable to wear the adult seatbelt correctly, it may be possible to obtain a larger booster seat.
Research suggests that an adult seatbelt will fit a child properly when they are around 140 cm tall.
Children who are not tall enough to use an adult seatbelt tend to slump into the vehicle seat so that their legs bend at the seat edge. This means the lap part of the seatbelt is positioned too high on their stomach and they are at risk of serious injury in a crash.
Lap-sash seatbelts provide greater protection than lap-only seatbelts. If there is a lap-only seatbelt in your car, it can be used with a properly fitting child safety harness by a child up to 32 kg (approximately 10 years of age).
How to tell if a seatbelt fits properly
A seatbelt fits properly if:
- the sash part of the seatbelt sits flat on the shoulder without touching the face or neck
- the lap part of the seatbelt crosses low over the hips, not the abdomen
- it's not twisted
- all the slack is removed
- legs of the child hang over the front of the seat when sitting right back.
More information
On this site
Seatbelts and child restraints
Other websites
Seatbelt safety and the law - Road Safety