Best and worst vehicle booster seats for your child
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is out with its annual ratings of vehicle booster seats, and while a record number of models received the highest possible rating, there are others to check -- or avoid altogether.
The IIHS based its ratings of new models on how well three-point shoulder and lap seat belts fit a child-sized test dummy that was seated on the booster seats.
Shoulder belts should lie across the middle of a child's shoulder, not against their neck or falling onto their arm. Lap belts should lie flat on the child's legs, not across their stomachs.
Out of the 41 models tested, 27 were dubbed "Best Bets," meaning they would place a typical 4-to-8-year-old child in the right seat belt position in most cars, minivans, and SUVs. The boosters ranged in price from $25 to $370.
Another three booster seats were rated as "Good Bets," giving what the IIHS calls an "acceptable" belt fit in most vehicles.
Booster seats with a "Check Fit" rating produced varied results, depending on the size of the child and the type of vehicle tested.
"Before buying these boosters, parents should try them out to see if they properly position safety belts on their children in the vehicles they will ride in," the IIHS said in a statement.
Three models were rated as "Not Recommended."
The IIHS also encouraged parents to stay up-to-date with booster seat recalls and check the ratings of older models on its website.
Here are the complete IIHS ratings for 2014 booster seat models:
BEST BET
Baby Trend Hybrid 3-in-1 (backless mode)
Baby Trend Hybrid No Back (backless)
Britax Frontier 90 (highback)
Britax Pinnacle 90 (highback)
Britax Pioneer 70 (highback)
BubbleBum Neon (backless)
Cybex Solution X-Fix (highback)
Diono Solana (backless)
Dream On Me Turbo Booster (highback mode)
Eddie Bauer Deluxe Belt-Positioning Booster (highback mode)
Eddie Bauer Deluxe Highback 65 (highback)
Evenflo Chase (highback)
Evenflo Symphony 65 (highback)
Graco Argos 80 Elite 3-in-1 (backless mode)
Graco Argos 80 Elite 3-in-1 (highback mode)
Graco 4Ever All-in-1 (backless mode)
Graco 4Ever All-in-1 (highback mode)
Graco Milestone All-in-1 (highback)
Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 with Safety Surround (highback mode)
Kids Embrace Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (highback)
Maxi-Cosi Rodi AP (highback mode)
Maxi-Cosi RodiFix (highback)
Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120 (highback mode)
Recaro Performance Booster (highback)
Safety 1st Store 'n Go (highback mode)
Safety 1st Store 'n Go No-Back (backless)
Safety 1st Summit 65 (highback)
GOOD BET
Baby Trend Hybrid 3-in-1 (highback mode)
Cybex Solution Q-Fix (highback)
Diono Rainier (highback)
Check Fit
Dream On Me Coupe Booster (backless)
Dream On Me Turbo Booster (backless mode)
Eddie Bauer Deluxe Belt-Positioning Booster (backless mode)
Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 with Safety Surround (backless mode)
Harmony Folding Travel Booster (highback)
Maxi-Cosi Rodi AP (backless mode)
Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120 (backless mode)
Safety 1st Store 'n Go (backless mode)
Not Recommended
Diono Olympia (highback)
Diono Pacifica (highback)
Kids Embrace Batman No Back Booster (backless)