When you own a car and if you are traveling often with your baby then car booster seats is a must. Of course, you want your child to travel safely. Cars seat belts are designed in such a way that it can fit adult bodies and thus it cannot hold children securely. Babies who use booster seats reduce their chance of a crash-related injury by 45%. Since car seats are expensive, parents think they don’t need one for their baby. However, studies clearly point out that using car booster seats for your baby and toddler is best option to well-safeguard during car travel or any four-wheeler travel. Also in many countries, it is mandatory to use a car seat. If you don’t own a car you can buy a second-hand seat for an occasional ride. You need to choose the proper car seat for your baby’s age and weight. And you must install it properly in your car. Take your car and your baby with you so that you can try them and see if it fits perfectly. The seat should be held tightly by the seat belt with very little motion. You can try by putting the empty seat in and tightening up the seat belt. If the seat moves around, then it's not safe.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that an average of three children was killed in motor vehicle crashes every day in 2013. It recommends the children to continuously use car booster seat until they are 8 years old and 144cm tall which means they must have outgrown the manufacturer’s height and weight recommendations for their booster seat. Hence, proper safety measures should be taken before you start your journey with your darling.
Most car seats available in India are imported ones, but for now, we have few local car booster seat manufacturers. You may get confused with the imported car seat because they comply with European or American size recommendations and safety standards, and they are also categorized in different ways.
Car seats are named in various terms, some name it as Group 0 and Group 0+ car seats, and some as stage one or two. So without any further ado, get all your car seat doubts and concerns cleared with the weight or age range table below. Choose the right one based on your baby's weight.
Weight |
Age (Approx) |
Group |
Stage |
From birth to 10kg |
Newborn to 9 months |
0 |
1 |
From birth to 13kg |
Newborn to 5-18 months |
0+ |
1 |
9kg to 18kg |
9 months to 4 years |
1 |
2 |
15kg to 25kg |
Up to 6 years |
2 |
3 |
22kg to 36kg |
Up to 11 years |
3 |
4 |
Note: You must keep in mind that weight ranges can differ according to the brand of the car seat. So look into the specifications before buying one.
This type of seats is great for babies and toddlers because they can be used in both directions. You can install the seat rear-facing as when your baby weighs up to 13kg and it is safe to install your car seat forward-facing if your child is at least 2 years old or up to 18kg.
A 5-point harness is a compound of safety straps that must be clipped across different parts of your infant like chest, thighs, and between legs. So that you can safeguard your little one from accident while firmly holding and securing them in place at all other travel times. The padded tray-like attachment (i.e. booster seat with overhead shield) which generally has its place in front of your baby's belly to render advanced protection and act as table used for feeding, playing toys, reading books, etc. during travel.
A tether is a strap which is almost available in all car seats and is the one that firmly connects to the top of the car seat to an anchor in your vehicle. If you have an older seat or an older car, you can purchase a tether kit from the car seat manufacturer. My opinion is that you can buy a new car booster seat to ensure your child's safety and do not get compromised with an outdated or previously damaged chair.
If your baby is surrounded by soft, highly qualified pads around their head and spine, they are guaranteed with more comfortable and good riding experience. If you find an extra space around them and if they aren't firmly tied to the chair, fill the space with rolled-up blankets for added support.
If your toddler is messy then there's no way around it, you must get a removable, machine washable cover to protect your car seat. Even if there are little spills and stains, it is not a big deal when they can be thoroughly washed away.
Car booster name |
How they look? |
Wanna buy? |
Baby Blue Forward-Facing Toddler Car Seat |
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R for Rabbit Jack N Jill Convertible Car Seat |
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Safety 1st Car Seat |
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1st Step Car Seat |
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Mee Mee Car Seat Cum Carry Cot |
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Luv Lap Baby Car Seat |
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1. Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat
2. Advocate CS Convertible Seat
3. Symphony 65 All-in-One Car Seat
4. Parkway SG Booster
5. Chicco KeyFit Strada Booster