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Yup your big girl still needs a boost, and will til she s 4 9 tall, according to booster car seat laws. The booster seat s job is to ensure that your car s safety belts fit your child correctly. The lap belt needs to fit snugly across her upper thighs, and the shoulder belt should go across the middle of her chest (without cutting into her neck, slipping over her shoulder, or being slipped under her arm). This won t happen without a booster until she reaches that magic 4 9 height. For most kids, that s somewhere around age eight but sometimes it s even later than that. Keep in mind that a lap/shoulder belt alone won t keep her safe in a crash and could put her at risk for serious injuries.

First off, every child should say snug in a car seat and facing the rear as long as possible, until she's at least two years old. When she reaches the upper weight limit (30 to 35 pounds) or her head hits less than an inch from the top of the seat, it's okay to face the car seat forward. Keep your bigger tot in a front-facing toddler car seat with a five-point harness, and don't make the switch to the booster until she's reached that weight and height limit (depending on the model, around 40 to 65 pounds). Once you've made that change, keep her strapped into the booster until she hits that golden height.

Not only is it good for toddler safety to keep your child in a booster seat it s also the law in most states. As of September , all but three US states (Arizona, Florida, and South Dakota) require kids ages five and younger to be in an appropriate child restraint; more than half of the 50 states require that kids be in boosters up through age seven or eight. Many states booster car seat laws specify height and weight minimums too. You can check with your insurance company or local police department to get more details on car safety for children. But to keep your child as safe as possible, stick to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration s 4 9 height recommendation, even if your state has more lenient booster car seat laws or none at all.

These car-seat safety tips apply to boosters too:

• Install the seat correctly. If you need help, find a certified car-seat technician at nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm (or call 866-SEAT-CHECK).
• Always seat children in the backseat of a vehicle. Kids under 13 should never ride in the front seat a deploying air bag puts a younger child at great risk for serious injury, even if she s safely buckled up.
• Make sure your child is securely buckled into her booster seat every time she gets into the car no exceptions, ever.

Your daughter might not be asking for a less babyish booster yet. But if she does resist sitting in a booster seat later (or if you switch cars or travel frequently), a backless model might be a more palatable option. Booster car seat laws don t specify whether you need a backless booster or a high-back one. Which kind is safer? If your car has low seat backs or lacks headrests, get a high-back booster (it ll protect against whiplash). If your child s ears are below the top of the vehicle s seat, a backless booster is okay (it will still reduce the risk of injury in a crash because it puts your child in the right position for effective restraint by the safety belts). A backless seat is less expensive and more portable, so if that means you ll use it more consistently, then it s the safest seat for you and your most precious cargo. Some car companies offer built-in or integrated car seats, which certainly make life easier, though you need to do your homework and check with the manufacturer about weight, age, and height limitations.