Car seats for older kids

(If you're a first-time parent, please have a look how to fit a car seat for your baby.)

Many of my 6-year old's school mates ride without car seats, but, even though she's tall for her age, we are reluctant to say goodbye to her sturdy full-size booster seat. She says it makes her look like a baby. We say it makes her safe.

Looking at a guide to car seats, I realise she may have a point. Most booster seats and booster cushions have a weight limit of 26kg, so she will outgrow them soon. And yet she's not tall enough to wear the sash seat belt (without a booster cushion, the sash goes right over her neck, and I can just imagine what would happen if I had to break suddenly). Fortunately, our own booster cushion takes kids up to 30kg....

Aha! Guess what I found in this article about car safety for children: 

A five-point child safety harness is recommended for children 14 – 32kg as standard car seat belts (which are designed for adult use) are safe to use until your child is a standing height of 148cm, a sitting height of 74cm and/or a weight of 37kg – this is the approximate size of an 11 year old.

Makes you think, doesn't it?