Rajeev Dhir

Safety Experts Release New Booster Seat Ratings

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its latest safety ratings for booster seats on Tuesday.

Twenty of the 23 seats earned the highest rating. The IIHS said the seats would provide a good belt fit for children between 4 and 8 years old in any vehicle, including cars, minivans and SUVs.

Booster seats are meant for children who have outgrown traditional harnessed car seats, which is usually at the age of eight. But the organization recommends keeping some children in booster seats until they're 12 years old.

Until then, the IIHS recommends making sure the belt lies "flat across a child's upper thighs, not across the soft abdomen, and the shoulder belt crosses snugly over the middle of a child's shoulder.”

The other three seats would provide an acceptable fit in almost any vehicle, the IIHS said.

Using a booster seat can help lower the risk of injury in crashes by 45 percent, according to the IIHS.

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