Once your child passes the Safety Belt Fit Test, require him or her to use seat belts in a back seat on every ride, whether or not you are there. A lap AND shoulder belt provide the best protection to your child and must be used on every ride.

The Safety Belt Fit Test

  1. Can the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
    Have your child sit in a back seat with their bottom and back against the vehicle’s seat back. Can your child stay in that position through the duration of the trip? If yes, go on. If not, the child must remain in a booster seat.
  2. Do the child’s knees bend naturally at the seat’s edge?
     If yes, go on. If not, the child must stay in a booster seat.
  3. Buckle the seat belt. Does the lap belt stay low on the hips?
    If yes, go on. If it rests on the soft part of the stomach, the child must stay in a booster seat.
  4. Look at the shoulder belt. Does it lay centered on the collarbone and shoulder?
    If yes, go on. If it is on the face or neck, the child must remain in a booster seat.
  5. Can the child maintain the correct seating position with the shoulder belt on the shoulder and the lap belt low across the hips for the whole trip?
     If yes, the child has passed the Safety Belt Fit Test. If no, the child should return to a booster seat and re-test in a month.

Move children from booster seats to seat belts in a back seat only after the child passes the Safety Belt Fit Test in every vehicle.

  • Return your child to a booster seat if the safety belt does not fit perfectly.
  • Use the Safety Belt Fit Test on any child you transport in your car.

Teach your child to use a seat belt properly in a back seat in every vehicle he or she uses.

  • Make sure that everyone sits upright when using seat belts. Never let children lean against windows or car doors or lie down. Never put the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.
  • Tell every driver who transports your child that seat belt use is a must when your child is in their vehicle. This is an important habit to establish when the child rides in vehicles unsupervised by you.
  • All children under age 13 should ride properly restrained in the back seat.
  • Wear your seat belt correctly every time you are in a car. Children learn from adult role models.
  • When carpooling, make sure you have enough seating positions and booster seats for every child in your car and that kids enter and exit curbside.