Safety of Volvo's integrated booster seats?

[StayAtHomeDad]

We have a 2006 Volvo V70 station wagon with integrated booster seats. Our oldest daughter has outgrown her toddler seat and ready to use a booster seat, but we're hesitant to use the integrated booster seats because it doesn't have a seat-belt positioner or a high-back to it. We bought the Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat to go in the car but found it doesn't fit due to the (non-removable) headrests in the back seat.

Can anyone point to some data that shows whether the integrated booster seats are as safe as something like the high-backed booster seats?

Alternately, does anyone know of any high-backed booster seats that will fit in the backseat of a Volvo V70?

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law. Ready to buy a Booster Seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Graco car seats Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety. Ready to buy a Graco car seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

	Graco Turbo Booster - Click for more info The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat). Ready to buy a Graco TurboBooster? Please support our sponsor!

[Papooses]

Integrated seats are safe ... so long (as always with any restraint system) they are used correctly: follow the manual.

The most important risk I think is that when kiddo needs to ride in an alternate vehicle -- such as during a road side emergency -- so I would at least keep that spare booster in the trunk.

Another important factor is whether or not your child will slump out of position. When kids fall asleep in backless boosters, they usually lean out of safe position. I was taught that any highback booster is about 70% safer than any backless.

How to best protect children in side-impact crashes
Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia say restraints, other passengers in rear seat reduce risk

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law. Ready to buy a Booster Seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Highback Booster High back booster--A booster that has a high plastic back that provides some side impact protection and is required for vehicles with low seatbacks or no headrests. Most high back boosters can be used for children 3-10 years old AND 30-100lbs, but the minimum recommendation for booster use is 4 years old AND 40lbs.

[jbeans1210]

I'm wondering which seat you decided to use? I bought the Britax Regent, but find the seat is so deep that my daughter has no leg room at all (her feet don't fit behind the the front seats because my husband and I are tall, and her baby brother is in a RF infant seat behind the passenger seat). Then I bought the Graco TurboBooster... and now I find myself in the same boat as Stayathomedad. I'm reluctant to go to the integrated booster yet because my daughter will slump out of the safe position the minute she falls asleep. If only the rear headrests would come off!!! I almost feel like running out and buying a minivan...

	Britax car seats Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made. Ready to buy a Britax seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it. Ready to buy an infant car seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law. Ready to buy a Booster Seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness. Ready to buy a Britax Regent? Please support our sponsor!

	Graco car seats Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety. Ready to buy a Graco car seat? Please support our sponsor!

	Graco Turbo Booster - Click for more info The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat). Ready to buy a Graco TurboBooster? Please support our sponsor!