Best Booster Seats For Kids 4-8 Years Old

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is sharing the results of its new study of new booster seat models for 2024.  Most of those tested - forty-seven out of 54 booster seats  - earn the IIHS's top highest rating of BEST BET. Among the other new booster seats, one is a GOOD BET and six are rated Check Fit. None are Not Recommended.

Here's what the rating's mean:

• BEST BET: The BEST BET rating means a booster provides good seat belt fit for typical 4- to 8-year-olds in almost any car, minivan or SUV.
• GOOD BET: Boosters that are rated GOOD BETs provide acceptable belt fit in almost any vehicle.
• CHECK FIT: These boosters have varied results depending on child size and vehicle model, so they could work for some children in some vehicles. 
• NOT RECOMMENDED: These seats don’t provide good belt fit and should be avoided.

Vehicle seat belts are designed for adults, and one job of a booster is to make them fit a child. The IIHS says it has been rating boosters since 2008 on their ability to provide good lap and shoulder belt fit.

Researchers say the IIHS ratings strive to cover the entire U.S. booster market. The 54 seats added this year are made up of 36 distinct models; 19 are rated twice because they are dual-use boosters that can be used either in highback or backless mode.

The 47 new BEST BETs (32 distinct models) range in price from about $25 for the Harmony Youth Booster Elite with LATCH to $450 for the Graco Turn2Me 3-in-1 Car Seat. Several options are available for less than $40.

“Booster seats are simple, low-tech devices that don’t have to cost a lot to be effective,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS vice president of vehicle research. “All a booster needs to do is raise the child up a bit and guide the seat belt so it is positioned correctly. The lap belt should lie flat on the upper thighs and not up against the tummy, and the shoulder belt should fit snugly across the middle of the shoulder.”

Booster seats are designed for children who have outgrown harness-equipped restraints. Children ages 4-8 are 45% less likely to sustain injuries in crashes if they are in boosters than if they are using seat belts alone.

Researchers say children should ride in boosters until a vehicle seat belt fits correctly by itself. For some kids, that doesn’t happen until age 12 or so.

IIHS started its booster rating program after finding that many seats didn’t consistently provide good belt fit. In the Institute’s first booster ratings, only a quarter of the seats evaluated earned the BEST BET designation. Now, the vast majority of boosters tested meet that high standard.

However, the IIHS says choosing a booster that is a good fit for your child is only the first step for parents.  Using it on every trip is the next. Many parents stop using boosters for their children too early. Others don’t use them all the time because they’re inconvenient to carry along for taxi or ride-hailing trips, for example, and can make it crowded for three kids in the back seat. Despite a relatively low price, access remains an issue for many families.

Using an age- and size-appropriate restraint on every trip is the best way parents and caregivers can maximize their children’s safety in vehicles.

The IIHS cites these statistics: deaths in passenger vehicles of children ages 4 to 8 — the most common ages for booster users — rose to 15.2 per million children in 2021 from 11.5 in 2012. Deaths of children ages 9 to 12, many of whom still need boosters, rose to 11.2 per million children in 2021, compared with 9.7 in 2012.

• To see the IIHS list of booster seats, click here.
• The NHTSA has a guide to find out which car seat or booster seat is right for your child.   
  
• You can also check out our CarPro guide to Child Safety Seats here.