I live in Pennsylvania and the law here is that kids need to be in a car/boster seat until they are 8y/o. My son is 7 .
In Florida the law is 5 years and under in a seat.
Would you feel comfortable on vacation not using a seat for your child that meets Florida Laws but not your own State Laws.
We sometimes go some where besides Disney for one day of our trip. Since we are going to be flying do you think we should rent a booster seat for him for the day or let it go? Would the length of the drive be a factor? Local driving vs Nasa (45min each way)? I am not sure, on one hand Florida says it's Ok...but what does Pa know that Florida doesn't?
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If you use a booster seat for your child in Pennsylvania, I would use one in Florida, even if it is not legally reqiured. You would'nt think twice about using one if your child was kept safe, but god forbid anything happened, you would live with that decision for your WHOLE life!BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

I would either rent a booster seat from the rental car place, or just buy an inexpensive booster seat, the type you get at Wall-Mart, for $20 or so. This type of seat is pretty easy to pack. You don't say how big your son is, and that is a factor. In PA, it's 8 or 80 pounds (although, logically, they should go by height, not weight, for using a seat belt without a booster). If he is big for his age, you can consider that, in making your decision. My older daughter is 8, but not even close to 80 pounds, and we usually still have her use the booster seat, without the back.

I live in Pennsylvania and the law here is that kids need to be in a car/boster seat until they are 8y/o. My son is 7 .
In Florida the law is 5 years and under in a seat.

In CA the law is 60 lbs or 6 years. The plan is to increase that to 8 years/80 lbs. For our family, once my eldest hit 8 (he's not 80 lbs yet) we started relaxing a bit and letting him ride around town without his carseat. I cross the line at the highway. I won't let him ride on a freeway without it.

So on vacation, gosh, that's a toughie. You don't say how big your 7-y/o is and that would be a key for me. If he was the size of my son's buddy, I probably wouldn't worry about it because this kid is tall and big (not fat, just a big kid.) If he was my son's age, I'd probably get one of the little booster seats that's easier to haul around. They're not the safest thing but they're a little bit of a boost and it would make me feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you could see the rental car company has any to rent.

Adrienne

I know personally, we are going to take our son's booster seat with us, and we are from Michigan. I don't know what the "right" answer is, but I think if your child is used to the booster seat, it is probably a wise choice to use it in Florida as well. If he gets used to not having it in Florida, he may start to ask "why" when you return home. Then you will have to try and explain the law, and that may be difficult to do.

You don't say how big your 7-y/o is and that would be a key for me. Adrienne

He's little, 52 pounds and just barely in a 7slim.

I am pretty sure our law is 8 & 80 also, I just could not find it on the state police site. My mother and I always joke he will 50 years old by the time he hits 80 pounds!

I doubt we will be going off property this year, he will actually be 8 by then, but if we do I will either rent one or buy one if it will be more then 1 day.

I'm hoping that my son isn't freakishly large and that judging by your responses a slowing in growth is coming soon! My DS is 4 years, 3 months and weighs 45 pounds. He's a bit taller than some of the boys in his class (42"), but doesn't seem to be huge! I'm getting ready to toss his full size carseat and get a belt-positioning booster seat for him.

Liz :cool:

He's probalby just a bit more solid than some kids. My kids has never had thier weight in pounds exceed their height in inches. My almost 8 year old is about 49 pounds and maybe 52 inches, very slender. Her sister is 42 inches and about 38 pounds at jsut turned 5 years old. 80 pounds seems a very long way away for either!

Wow, eight seems awfully old to have to be in any kind of seat. I remember being four years old and riding around in the back seat of my parent's car in just a seat belt. I know the laws have changed since I was four, but still. It sounds weird to me that kids of that age still have to have special seats.

I use a carseat for my kids until they don't need it anymore. I guess that will be when they reach 4'9 and can sit in a regular seat. Not even positive what my state laws are. Really doesn't matter the law to me, just want them to be safe.

Wow, eight seems awfully old to have to be in any kind of seat. I remember being four years old and riding around in the back seat of my parent's car in just a seat belt. I know the laws have changed since I was four, but still. It sounds weird to me that kids of that age still have to have special seats.

Seat belts are designed for adults, not children. Until a child is tall enough for a seat belt to safely lay across their bodies, they should be in a booster seat. Just as technology has advanced so has the understanding of how a body reacts during car accidents. It's not weird - it's a greater understanding of how safety restraints effectively work.

Adrienne

Wow, eight seems awfully old to have to be in any kind of seat. I remember being four years old and riding around in the back seat of my parent's car in just a seat belt. I know the laws have changed since I was four, but still. It sounds weird to me that kids of that age still have to have special seats.

My vehicle manual, a Suburban, specifically says that the seatbelts are designed to fit passengers over 4'9 properly. Passengers that are not that tall must be a booster or safety restraint.

I have to think that part of the whole thing with kids having to be older also has to do with the change in seatbelts. I know when I was little the backseat only had lapbelts so there was no worry of the shoulder strap not hitting in the right place.

I will however say that I was 80lbs in driver's ed in high school so what then? ;)

I have to think that part of the whole thing with kids having to be older also has to do with the change in seatbelts. I know when I was little the backseat only had lapbelts so there was no worry of the shoulder strap not hitting in the right place.

I will however say that I was 80lbs in driver's ed in high school so what then? ;)
In that case, it is more about height, I think. Like you said, so the seatbelt hits at the right spot on the chest. My cousin is 4'11, at 19yo, she is Korean. I would bet that when she started driving, she would have needed a booster seat under the current recommendations for height.
We pulled up next to a lady the other day, had 2 little ones in the back with the regular seatbelt on, the shoulder part was behind their neck, I just cringed. There was no way they would stay in that car in a serious accident.

This is a tragic testimonial (http://www.kget.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=ad74dd3b-8a5f-430b-a297-62e09420a461) to the value of a properly secured and used child safety seat.

Adrienne

This is a tragic testimonial (http://www.kget.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=ad74dd3b-8a5f-430b-a297-62e09420a461) to the value of a properly secured and used child safety seat.

Adrienne

What a very sad lesson there, Adrienne.

Wow, you all really have me freaked out now (which in this case is a good thing). We are heading to DL and are taking Amtrak to the Fullerton train station. Our hotel is 5-miles from the station. Our boys are 5 yo and I was planning on just belting them into the back of the taxi for the short ride, but now I am starting to doubt my decision. We will also be taking the ART shuttle back n' forth from hotel to park (2 blocks). Any suggestions on safe travels for us would be greatly appreciated!!
-Amy

Wow, you all really have me freaked out now (which in this case is a good thing). We are heading to DL and are taking Amtrak to the Fullerton train station. Our hotel is 5-miles from the station. Our boys are 5 yo and I was planning on just belting them into the back of the taxi for the short ride, but now I am starting to doubt my decision. We will also be taking the ART shuttle back n' forth from hotel to park (2 blocks). Any suggestions on safe travels for us would be greatly appreciated!!
-Amy
I would at least pick up those cheap belt positioning boosters for them for in the taxi, if you don't have carseats to bring with them, for that short time, or you don't want to lug larger seats around. I don't care for those boosters, but I understand the hassle to bring a big seat, for a 5 mile ride.
I wouldn't worry about ART shuttle and buckling them in. There are no belts on those shuttles anyway. Heck, I have seen those so full with people standing up at park opening and closure. I think the taxi is the most dangerous part of your trip! How fun for your kiddos to ride on Amtrak, mine would LOVE that.

How about getting a car service. When my parents took our kids on the DCL my son needed a booster seat and they requested one from the service so they would not have to bring the car seat we have for just for the 20 minute ride to/from the airport. It may be cheaper then the taxi and buying two booster seats.

Hmmm...You know, I don't ever remember seeing anyone use a booster or other car seat on any of the Disney transportation including Magical Express...and I can't remember there being seat belts either. Do you all rent cars due to this?? Thanks.

This is one reason why we drive (or walk, depending on where we are staying of course) to and from DL... my 12 year old ds is only 58 lbs, 9 year old dd is 56 lbs (yes I know... people ask me if they are twins all the time) and I have a 2 year old. My older 2 are still in boosters. My poor son is in junior high and still in a booster seat, and it isn't even the law here in AZ (which is ridiculous). I can't bring myself not to have them in carseats even if it is only a few miles. Accidents can happen anywhere.

It is so confusing! Our son is 7 and 58 pounds (not to mention 4'4"). So in AZ he is fine (our laws are 5 and 55, I believe). But I think we break the law when we head to Disneyland in CA because he isn't in a booster seat.

It is so confusing! Our son is 7 and 58 pounds (not to mention 4'4"). So in AZ he is fine (our laws are 5 and 55, I believe). But I think we break the law when we head to Disneyland in CA because he isn't in a booster seat.

You don't - Yet.

The law is 6 years OR 60 lbs. As long as he's 6, he's technically legal.

The law is going to be (or they're working on it to be) 8 years OR 80 lbs.

My 8 y/o is not yet 80 lbs so for most car trips, he's still in his booster. I won't let him on the freeway but if it's someone else's car and it's a short trip, I'll let him go. His carseat is just always in my van so with my van it's not an issue.

When I was a kid, I remember my parents kept us in carseats and kept us in longer than other parents who used carseats at the time. They were gossiped about at the time. Today I'm proud of my them that they didn't care what other people thought, LOL.

Adrienne

I don't really care what the law is. I have to be comfortable. If it means that they stay in a booster until they are 15, then so be it. LOL

I think the law in AZ is changing to 6 years old. Right now I think that it is 5 years old regardless of weight. We always seem to be behind on this law.

I think my kids may still be in boosters when they are 15 at the rate the are growing right now!