Car Seat Guide – Group 2/3

Video transcript

Group 2/3 seats are used from around three and a half to 12 years of age, or up to 1.35 metres or four foot five inches in height. Children must be at least 15kg, but ideally closer to 18kg before using a group 2/3 seat. There are two different types, the booster cushion and the high-back booster seat. Both will have red belt guides indicating where the belt should go. Both will have a compliance sticker showing the weight classification and a guidance sticker illustrating how the seatbelt is fitted.

Damon

Care should be taken to ensure that the lap belt section is correctly positioned underneath the arms on the booster cushion, ensuring it passes across the lap pelvic area rather than across the stomach. Some Group 2/3 booster cushions they don’t come with a guide strap this can mean that the diagonal seatbelt will sit too close to the child’s neck and throat area. Ideally look for the diagonal seatbelt to be sited in the middle of the child’s chest and to the side of the child’s shoulder. If the booster cushion hasn’t got a guide strap and you find that the position of the belt is too close to the child’s neck, what we need to do is look towards getting a high back booster cushion where the diagonal belt is guided through a guide strap ensuring the correct position of the belt through the centre of the chest and to the side of the child’s shoulder.

Summary

Make sure your child is the correct age and weight to use this seat. Use the guidance sticker to fit the car seat correctly. Check the anchor point is correct and that the head rest is in the right position. Make sure the lap belt section is fitted under the arms across the pelvic area and not the stomach. Use a guide strap if available to direct the diagonal part of the seatbelt away from the neck and throat. If this is not possible, you need a high back booster seat. Remember, when a child seat is not being used place it in the boot or fasten it down to prevent it causing an injury in a collision.