iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety booster seat ratings show that manufacturers have mastered a seat that provides a good safety belt fit for the typical 4 to 8-year old.
“Out of 53 new models evaluated, 48 earn the top rating of BEST BET, meaning they are likely to provide good belt fit for a 4 to 8 year-old in almost any car, minivan or SUV,” the IIHS said in a press release. “When the Institute first began rating boosters in 2008, only a quarter of the seats evaluated earned the BEST BET designation.”
However, there are still two-brand new models from Dorel Juvenile, the Cosco Easy Elite and the Cosco Highback 2-in-1 DX, that are rated Not Recommended and can still be found on store shelves.
“Dorel has a long history of producing BEST BETs, and this year alone the company introduced seven of them,” IIHS senior research engineer Jessica Jermakian said. “It’s disappointing that they would introduce boosters that don’t do their job when they clearly know how to do it right.”
The Britax Parkway SGL in backless mode, the Lil Fan Club Seat 2-in-1 in highback mode and the Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 are each rated Check Fit, which means they work for some children in some vehicles.
There are many more good options than bad ones, though. Looking at all available booster models, 118 are BEST BETs, nine are GOOD BETs, 27 are Check Fit and five are Not Recommended.
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