P is for PASS THE 5 STEP TEST | The ABCs of Car Seat Safety (Holly Choi + Jamie Grayson)

Come along for the ride while we work our way through the alphabet for our ABCs of Car Seat Safety series! My friend Jamie Grayson‪@thejamiegrayson‬ and I are bringing you some education and ENTERTAINING car seat safety content! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to receive notifications!
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P is for PASS THE 5-STEP TEST!
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Moving out of car seats and boosters altogether is a BIG. STEP. For the seat belt to do its job, and also not cause further injury, it MUST fit them correctly.
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If you recall letter B, “Best Practice”, we really want to max out the limits of a seat before we move to the next stage. In the case of boosters, we also should consider that we want the seat belt to fit better WITHOUT a booster than WITH a booster before making that move to the seat belt alone. Generally speaking, kids are more likely for a seat belt to fit them properly around the time they’re 4’9” tall.
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And yes, the booster laws probably aren’t very good where you live (and some places don’t even have one), but the reality is: we don’t magically become seatbelt ready on our 8th, 9th or 10th birthday. Remember, the laws are the bare minimums - and just because it may be legal to ditch the booster on their birthday, doesn’t mean it’s safe to do so.
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SO! Before we move a child out of that booster seat, we want to see them pass the 5-step test:
1️⃣ Back against the vehicle seat
2️⃣Knees comfortable bent at the edge of the vehicle seat
3️⃣Shoulder belt centered at the collarbone
4️⃣Lap belt low, touching the thighs
5️⃣Remain seated in position the entire ride
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PRO TIP: Some vehicles have adjustable “routing hardware” - it allows you to raise or lower the shoulder portion of the seat belt to provide a better fit.
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Have you experienced poor seat belt fit in your vehicle, or in certain seating positions? Share below! 👇
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👋 Hey, I'm Jamie! I’m a CPST, an internationally-recognized baby gear expert, and baby industry veteran of nearly 20 years. I am the unofficial Guncle of the internet and currently am on the Board of Directors of The ABC Kids Show.
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👋 Hey, I'm Holly! I’m a baby + toddler safety expert: certified pediatric first aid instructor, car seat instructor (CPST-I) and childproofing/injury prevention professional.
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#CPST #CarSeatSafety #ChildPassengerSafety #CarSeat #CarSeats #CarSeatSafetyTips #babygear