1. National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program
National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program
Module 10
Children in Booster Seats & Seat Belts
10-1

2. Module 10 Objectives
• Identify how booster seats protect children.
• Differentiate between types of booster seats.
• Install a booster seat.
• Explain recommendations for children in seat
belts.
• Explain best practices about booster seats and
seat belts to caregivers.
10-2

3. Belt-Positioning Booster Seats
• Use the term “beltpositioning booster seat”
when working with
caregivers. This helps
emphasize how lap-andshoulder belts keep booster
seats in place and keep
children safe.
• In this module, we will use
“booster seats.”
10-3

4. How Booster Seats Protect Children
• Are a middle step between a car seat with a
harness and a seat belt
• Raise and position a child so vehicle’s lap-andshoulder belt fit properly over stronger parts of
child’s body
• Keeps lap belt from causing injury to child's
abdomen and keeps shoulder belt in proper
position to give child upper body protection
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5. Booster Seat Vs. Lap Belt
Courtesy of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
10-5

6. Booster Seat Vs. Lap-and-Shoulder Belt
Courtesy of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
10-6

7. High-Back Booster Seats
• Recommended for
vehicles that have a
low seat back or do
not have a head
restraint
• Provide head, neck,
and back support
• Fit over the shoulders
and hips like adult in
seat belt
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8. Combination Car Seats Convert Into
High-Back Booster Seats
• Harness can be stored
after removal and seat
can be used as a highback booster
• Carefully follow
manufacturer
instructions
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9. Backless Booster Seats
• Child uses vehicle’s
seat back or built-in
head restraint for
head, neck, and back
support
• Use only with a lapand-shoulder belt in
a vehicle seating
position with head
restraints
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10. Install a Booster Seat
10-10

11. Key Questions to Answer
Related to Booster Seats
• What are the height and weight of the child?
• What are the height and weight limits of the
booster seat?
• Should the booster seat be used with a
vehicle head restraint?
• Are the child’s ears above the back of the
vehicle seat (in a backless booster seat) or
top of the head restraint (in a high-back
booster seat)?
• Do the child’s knees bend comfortably so the
child does not slouch?
10-11

12. Recommendations for Children in Seat Belts
Is the child:
•Tall enough to sit without slouching?
•Able to keep his or her back against the vehicle
seat?
•Able to keep his or her knees naturally bent over
the edge of the vehicle seat?
•Able to keep his or her feet flat on the floor?
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13. Beyond Booster Seats
10-13

14. Adults Are Important Role Models
10-14

15. Seat Belt Errors & Consequences
10-15

16. Seat Belt Errors & Consequences (continued)
10-16

17. Seat Belt Errors & Consequences (continued)
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18. Seat Belt Errors & Consequences (continued)
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19. Seat Belt Errors & Consequences (continued)
10-19

20. Seat Belt Syndrome
• Injuries that result
when occupants only
wear a lap belt in
collisions involving
only the front of a
vehicle
• Usually result when
the occupant’s body
folds in half over the
lap belt during a
collision
10-20

21. Key Questions to Answer
Related to Seat Belts
Is the child:
•Tall enough to sit without slouching?
•Able to keep his or her knees naturally bent over
the edge of the vehicle seat?
•Able sit all the way back against the vehicle
seat?
•Able to keep his or her feet flat on the floor?
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22. Key Questions to Answer
Related to Seat Belts (continued)
Is the child:
•Sitting with the shoulder belt crossing the
shoulder between the neck and the arm?
•Sitting with the lap belt as low as possible,
touching his or her thighs?
•Able to stay seated this way for the whole trip?
10-22