Booster Seats: Are They Really Safer?

As a parent, you may have noticed your child’s booster seat sliding around in the car, and you may have questioned the safety of using a booster seat compared to just a seatbelt. The answer to whether booster seats are safer is not straightforward and can range from no difference to a significant increase in safety, depending on various factors.

It is important to note that for very young children, infant seats, particularly when rear-facing, are significantly safer than booster seats and seatbelts. In fact, keeping these seats rear-facing for as long as possible is recommended, with some countries requiring it up to the age of 4. This practice has contributed to Sweden having one of the lowest rates of child fatalities in car accidents globally.

While rear-facing seats are generally safer for everyone, practical reasons prevent their widespread adoption for all passengers. However, the focus of this discussion is on booster seats and their effectiveness in keeping children safe in cars.

Studies on Booster Seat Safety

One study from 2006 looked at children aged 2-6 involved in fatal crashes and found that those properly secured in child safety seats had a 28% lower risk of dying compared to those using seatbelts alone. However, this study did not differentiate between booster seats and five-point harness infant car seats, so its conclusions may not directly apply to booster seats.

In 2009, a study by Kristy Arbogast and colleagues found that children using booster seats were 45% less likely to be injured in car accidents compared to those using seatbelts alone. This study also found no significant difference in injury rates between backless and high-back booster seats.

However, these studies are not without limitations. The perfect dataset for analyzing booster seat safety does not exist due to various factors such as accident scenarios, car types, safety features, and the accurate documentation of accidents.

The Debate Over Booster Seat Effectiveness

Despite the theoretical benefits of booster seats, real-world data suggests that many children are not properly secured in them. According to the U.S. CDC, about 59% of booster seats are used incorrectly. This improper usage can negate the potential safety benefits of booster seats.

Economist Dr. Steven Levitt’s 2005 study using data from 1975 to 2003 found no evidence that car seats were more effective than seat belts in saving the lives of children over 2 years old. However, his study did not distinguish between different types of child restraint devices.

More recent studies have also questioned the efficacy of booster seats. A 2017 study by Mark Anderson and Sina Sandholt found that for children aged 6-9, booster seats, child safety seats, and seat belts alone were equally effective at reducing fatality probability. For children aged 2-5, booster seats were less effective than both child safety seats and seat belts alone.

A 2013 study found that children in booster seats suffered approximately the same number of injuries as those in seatbelts alone but had a higher risk of neck and thorax injuries.

Alternative Solutions

Given the mixed evidence on booster seat safety and the high rate of improper usage, some experts suggest that better solutions exist for child passenger safety. One proposal is for car manufacturers to develop adjustable seatbelt systems that can accommodate passengers of all sizes, eliminating the need for booster seats altogether.

This approach would not only benefit children but also adults who are shorter or have larger body types. It would also provide consistency across different vehicles and reduce confusion about how to properly secure children in cars.

Conclusion

The debate over booster seat safety is complex, with studies providing conflicting evidence. While booster seats theoretically offer increased safety by properly positioning seat belts on children, improper usage and other factors may diminish their effectiveness. Alternative solutions such as adjustable seatbelt systems may provide a more universally beneficial approach to passenger safety.

References:

• Child Safety Seat – Wikipedia
• CDC – Child Passenger Safety
• Effectiveness of Booster Seats: An Updated Assessment – PMC
• Are Booster Seats More Effective than Child Safety Seats or Seat Belts at Reducing Traffic Fatalities among Children? – PMC