Booster seat use by children aged 4-11 years: evidence of the need to revise current Australasian standards to accommodate overweight children

Objective: To examine the relationship between child weight and vehicle booster seat usage in the context of current Australasian booster seat standards. Design, setting and participants: Questionnaire survey conducted between February and April 2005. A convenience sample of parents with children aged 4–11 years in New South Wales and Victoria completed a questionnaire, reporting on the height and weight of their children and the nature of restraint devices used in the family vehicle. Main outcome measures: Proportion of children meeting standard‐specified weight and height criteria who are not restrained in booster seats; proportion of children who meet the specified height criteria but whose weight exceeds the specified weight. Results: 699 of 3959 questionnaires were returned (response rate, 18%), of which seven lacked essential details. The remaining 692 responses provided information on 1500 children. Of these children, 633 aged 4–11 years fell within the recommended height range for using booster seats, but only 29% were typically restrained in booster seats, the majority (70%) being restrained in normal seatbelts. A key finding was that 37% of the children who met the recommended height criteria exceeded the maximum weight for booster seats stipulated by the current Australasian safety standard. Conclusion: In view of increasing rates of overweight and obesity in children, it is important to reassess current Australasian standards for child restraints in vehicles. A concerted parental education campaign is also needed to raise awareness of which restraint types are appropriate for children of various heights and weights.